Africa-Press – Lesotho. Following the directive of the Prime Minister (PM) Dr. Moeketsi Majoro last week Tuesday where he imposed the curfew, the Commissioner of Police (COMPOL) Holomo Molibeli gazetted the curfew times to
operationalize the latter’s directive on Thursday. Empowered by Section 37 B of the Internal Security General Act, 1984, “Commissioner of Police, being of the opinion that is
necessary in order to prevent danger or harm to public safety or order … imposed a [curfew] on all persons throughout the Kingdom of Lesotho, except as provided
under the Public Health (COVID-19) (Risk Determination and Mitigation Measures Regulations, 2021 with effect from 14January 2021, [from] 1900hrs in the evening to 0600hrs in the morning,” reads the gazette.
The curfew shall remain in force for a period of two weeks or until revoked. This is the second curfew that the Premier imposes since the beginning of the year.
On January 5, the PM had imposed a curfew from 2000hrs in the evening until 0500hrs in the morning; however there was no gazette published to this effect.
Seemingly perturbed by the “prevailing surge of COVID-19 infections and deaths,” Dr. Majoro then moved the country from purple colour coding stage to orange colour
coding stage per country’s coding system on the pandemic mitigation measures. The move which came barely four days after he announced that the country will move from blue colour coding to
purple colour coding owing to an upsurge of infections. The country had experienced the high rise of infections during the festive season which saw many nationals from the neighbouring South Africa (SA) make way into
the country. While some have tested upon entry at the Port Health facilities, those who have entered in undesignated places such as rivers are feared to have
contributed in the rise of infections particularly at the community level. This is a new variant which is identified with the neighbouring country and is believed to have high infection rate.
According to the PM, the curfew is envisaged to arrest the spread of Covid-19 infections. Also on Tuesday 12, the PM moved the country to red colour coding, a move which
necessitated the total lockdown with exception of essential services which remain in operation. The PM had previously promised that the relevant stakeholders “have taken all measures to lower the infection and death rate while managing all those who are infected and those who need medical attention”.
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