Speaking at a Press conference as Zimbabwe switches from a
Level Two lockdown back to Level Four for 30 days, the Acting President warned
those behind the recent spate of fake Covid-19 certificates, that special
efforts were being made to hunt them down.
“Our security agencies, health officials and educational
institutional heads will continue to enforce stricter standard operation
procedures to ensure the safety of all citizens. They will enforce adherence to
the regulations within the stipulated times,” he said.
“We exhort governance structures to provide and enforce
measures that will curtail crowds and congestion at places such as water
points, bus terminuses, grinding mills, supermarkets and shopping complex,”
said Acting President Mohadi.
“Further we enjoin business enterprises to be more vigilant
in reducing crowds at all points in line with social distancing protocols.”
Under the level four regulations, queuing at bus stops,
supermarkets and water points is still permitted, but the queues have to be
orderly to allow social distancing to be enforced. In recent months there has
been a tendency to have people crowding closely and this will now be stopped.
The temporary reversion back to level four, leaves farming,
mining and manufacturing operating as before, under Covid-19 rules, and allows
essential services, including supermarkets, food shops and food markets, fuel
stations and pharmacies to stay open between 8am and 3pm. But most of the rest
of the commercial and informal sectors must be closed from tomorrow. In
addition the permissions for church services with a congregation, gatherings
for public hearings and gatherings for low-risk sports have been suspended for
the 30 days and most other gatherings are limited to two people, effectively
banning weddings among others.
Non-essential intercity travel is once again banned, as is
cross-border passenger traffic by land although with the previous exceptions of
returning residents and embassy staff.
The ban of passenger traffic across land borders is partly
a result of a rife forgery industry producing fake Covid-19-free certificates,
thus negating the efforts to allow this to be done safely.
“The presentation of unauthentic Covid-19 free certificates
by some of our citizens has exposed many unassuming people to the disease. Such
dishonesty is criminal and detrimental to the very fabric of society and far
removed from Unhu/Ubuntu. This has led to the surge of infections,” said Acting
President Mohadi.
Zimbabwe had recorded 1 342 Covid-19 cases and 29 deaths
within a week and on January 2 2021, the pandemic accounted for 407 new cases
and eight deaths all of which were local infections.
“We appeal to you all fellow Zimbabweans that while
scientists all over the world are working on a vaccine, it remains imperative
that you and I adhere to the measures as stipulated. The complex nature of the
virus, its mutation, remains worrisome for all of us hence the mandatory
compliance to the measures we are putting in place as Government,” he said.
The Acting President asked community leaders to show
leadership in disseminating information in their various constituencies.
“Whilst the generality of our people are disciplined, we
appeal to you religious organisations, traditional leadership, business and
corporates, civil leadership, households and individuals to take the fight
against the Covid-19 scourge as our own. We urge you once again to vigorously
engage the participation of your membership to inculcate appropriate behaviour
change and the adherence to acceptable protocols,” he said.
Acting President Mohadi said emphasis on Covid-19 had
always been on prevention.
“We are our own saviours and it is our behavioural change
that will take us out of danger. It is important that there be a major paradigm
shift on behaviour. Let those that are infected now be the last as we all
together strive that no one else shall be infected,” said Acting President
Mohadi.
He said Government will not allow people’s laxity on the
pandemic break its resolve to achieve our national goals. The health and safety
of the nation will ensure a productive and fruitful economy,” he said.
Announcing the temporary return to tighter measures,
Minister of Health and Child Care Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said the
curfew had been extended back to 6pm to 6am.
While a maximum of 30 people can attend a funeral,
temporaily suspended permissions and the return to no gathering exceedng two
people apart from a handful of exemptions, such as a bus queue or a funeral,
meant all other gatherings at weddings, church services, bars, bottle stores,
gymnasiums and restaurants were banned for the 30 days. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment