The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has ordered an orderly re-opening of the informal sector and the end of a moratorium on rent payments among other measures put in place to further cautiously reopen the economy which is under Lockdown Level Two.
In a televised speech on Friday, President Mnangagwa said the informal sector which employs a sizable chunk of the populace will be reopened as soon as traders meet certain requirements, chief among them being the formalisation of their operations.
“Although our lockdown remains at Level Two, let us begin to further open up, remembering that we all have a role to play. Government, hand in hand with an empowered private sector will do all in its power to open up the economy, to provide the jobs and the opportunities the people of Zimbabwe so richly deserve.
Under this review, we recognise that the current spike in the number of positive cases (of Covid-19), requires that we take a more cautious approach in relaxing the lockdown restrictions. As such, the following adjustments to the lockdown are made:
“All our people in the informal sector, who have not formally registered themselves or their enterprises, are directed to do so. Once they can prove that such registration has been made, they can resume their operations. Upon resuming their work, they are compelled to adhere to the laid down Covid-19 prevention requirements, such as the wearing of masks, washing or sanitization of hands and social distancing,” he said.
When the lockdown was announced, the informal sector was hard hit as they had to shut down their businesses which many depended heavily on for survival. The President said the rent holiday that the people had been granted in order to cushion them from the effects of the closure of businesses has been lifted.
“The moratorium on rent payment, made during the early phases of the lockdown is hereby lifted. Rent arrears can be paid back in instalments over a period of six months,” he said.
He said gatherings for the purpose of worship must remain at a maximum of 50 people and in full compliance with all the Covid-19 prevention measures. He said travel must only be done where necessary.
President Mnangagwa said as people return to work gradually, they must re-focus, recalibrate and revamp and also remember that Zimbabwe was in the midst of deep and broad reforms which were birthed by distortions which have bedeviled the country for decades.
“We began to reform our economic landscape as well as our media and political space, by removing antiquated laws and opening up new channels of dialogue and debate. Reforms, stuck in the wheels of bureaucracy, must be unleashed, catalysed and implemented.
The time for action is now. However, as the workforce is slowly released from a painful lockdown, let us remember that we are not returning to the old normal, but to a very new normal which must cause each and every one of us to rethink our lives. How we communicate, how we do business, how we meet and greet, and how we protect the health of our neighbours, our family, and indeed ourselves,” he said.
The President also commended efforts by the African Union and other countries across the globe to call for the removal of sanctions in Zimbabwe and access to materials related to Covid-19.
“I would like to applaud and congratulate the African Union, through the AU Bureau, for the innovative tech-driven strategies that have been developed to ensure equitable and affordable access to all materials related to the prevention and fight against the Covid-19. We further commend the continued calls by the African Union member states, for the lifting of sanctions against our country,” he said.
He further said Zimbabweans must adapt to the new normal with a new attitude of determination and hard work.
