President Mnangagwa yesterday said empty streets that
greeted him when he toured Chegutu, Kadoma and Kwekwe demonstrated high
compliance levels by citizens with Government’s directive for them to stay home
and prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The President made the remarks after his unannounced tour
of cities and suburbs that started in Norton, then Chegutu, Kadoma and ended in
Kwekwe to assess the level of compliance to the lockdown that Government
ordered two weeks ago.
The First Family, comprising the President and the First
Lady, used a minimal entourage during the tour, which caught many — including
journalists — unawares, as he sought to assess the level of compliance by
Zimbabweans to the lockdown measures.
He said the eeriness and quietness of alleys and streets in
all the cities and suburbs they visited was impressive.
“Last week we toured Harare, but I then told myself that
the majority of the country’s leadership is resident in Harare so I should also
check what is happening in other cities and towns because people would ask
questions as to why I only toured Harare.
“Today (yesterday) I visited Chegutu, Kadoma and Kwekwe to
have a feel of what is happening and I was quite impressed with the level of
compliance in all the cities,” said the President.
President Mnangagwa and First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa
donate a wheelchair and pledge to buy groceries for Mr Dexter Masango through
the First Lady’s Angel of Hope Foundation
He said the First Family decided to take many by surprise
to get a true reflection of what is on the ground in terms of compliance with
lockdown measures.
“I am happy that our people are observing the lockdown
measures. Everywhere we visited, people were in their homes; business centres
were deserted especially in Chegutu and Kwekwe cities, where the streets were
virtually empty.
“We deliberately did not announce our tour. We did not give
notice, we just said let’s take this route and we believe what we saw is a true
reflection of the situation and I am very happy,” said the President.
The President’s tour took place as one more person tested
positive for Covid-19, bringing to 14 the total number of confirmed cases in
the country, with three deaths.
Government has since tested 547 people for the virus, with
528 coming out negative.
Harare recorded seven confirmed cases of Covid-19, which is
the highest number, followed by Mashonaland East with four. Bulawayo and
Matabeleland North recorded two and one, respectively.
The President said he expected people in all cities and
towns across the country to heed the lockdown measures, emphasising the
severity of the pandemic and its devastating effects across the globe.
He said by staying home, people were protecting their lives
and those of their loved ones from the deadly pandemic.
“I would like to believe that Bulawayo, Hwange, Lupane
Chinhoyi, Hurungwe, Mutare, Chipinge and everywhere in the country are
observing the lockdown order. It helps not an individual, it helps everyone in
the country so people should observe the lockdown measures, as well as social
distancing,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said it was worrisome that the disease
was continuing to claim lives in other countries with statistics also showing
an increase in new infections.
“In other countries, the deaths figures are continuously
rising so we should observe all precautionary measures like the lockdown and
social distancing.
“It is my belief that everyone is being responsible wherever
they are throughout the country as we mitigate and avoid the spread of this
pandemic,” he said.
The President said he would be touring other provinces too
to assess the level of compliance, starting with Gweru today.
Meanwhile, the Fist Family donated a wheelchair to a
65-year-old man living with disability whom they came across crawling along a
dusty street in Amaveni, Kwekwe yesterday.
The President’s entourage had to stop and the First Family
disembarked to talk to the man, who identified himself as Mr Dexter Masango.
The First family took his details and went back to their
farm where they immediately dispatched a wheel chair for him.
The First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa said Mr Masango
would, through her Angel of Hope Foundation be receiving some food items.
Chronicle
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