The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Government says it will soon give direction as to the provisions of a localised lockdown for Bulawayo through a Statutory Instrument which will explain in detail how it will be implemented.
This comes after police in the city announced a localised lockdown for the province on Thursday last week following an increase of Covid-19 cases. However, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, dismissed the police statement saying the city was not in an intensified lockdown as reported.
Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa yesterday told Sunday News that the Ministry of Health and Child Care was the one responsible for the technical aspects of the issue of localised lockdowns. In addition, National Covid-19 taskforce coordinator Dr Agnes Mahomva said a Statutory Instrument will be gazetted soon to set the record straight.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care are the ones responsible for the technical aspects of the issue of the localised lockdowns, however, as Government we stand by the statement which I presented at the post-Cabinet briefing, that statement is very correct,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Presenting last week’s Cabinet meeting report Minister Mutsvangwa said:
“Cabinet further approved the localised lockdown in the following hotspot areas : — in Mashonaland West Karoi; Makonde; Chinhoyi; Mhangura; Chidamwoyo; Magunje; Chirundu; in Bulawayo Nkulumane; Emakhandeni and Northern Surburbs in Mashonaland Central Mount Darwin and in Masvingo, Chiredzi. The nation is informed that there would be a joint security blitz to enforce the recently promulgated Covid-19 prevention and control measures, especially in the designated hot spots. Furthermore, border security and surveillance at ports of entry is being strengthened.”
In an interview, National Covid-19 taskforce coordinator Dr Agnes Mahomva said a Statutory Instrument will spell out the conditions of the lockdown.
“All lockdowns when announced are always supported by a Statutory Instrument which clarifies what needs to happen. So, look out for that one so that legally you are clear on what is on the ground,” she said.
Police in Bulawayo had on Friday imposed a 6pm to 6am curfew in the city in line with the localised lockdown measures meant to curb the spread of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. Businesses were also ordered to operate from 8am and close at 3pm as part of the lockdown conditions.
However, at a Press Conference in Harare on Friday, Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro, advised that only the Presidium announces lockdown developments and said the conditions of the localised lockdown announced last week were null and void.
“I heard there are certain sections of the media purporting that Bulawayo is under lockdown. This is not correct. This statement is purporting that Nkulumane, Pelandaba, Emganwini, Sizinda, Emakhandeni, Cowdray Park, Pumula, and others are under lockdown. This is not correct,” he said.
He said if there is going to be a lockdown, the announcement would be made by President Mnangagwa or anyone he would have designated or the Minister of Health and Child Care.-@NyembeziMu
