PRIVATE operators of public transport will have to wait longer to know the fate of their business enterprises after President Emmerson Mnangagwa Saturday maintained a strict transport ban while announcing an indefinite extension of the country’s lockdown against the spread of coronavirus.
In a special announcement on measures being taken by his administration to prevent the spread of the world pandemic, Mnangagwa said the government run ZUPCO buses shall remain the only transport allowed to operate.
“Commuter omnibuses, kombis, unregistered taxis, mshika-mshika remain banned. Only ZUPCO buses and ZUPCO contracted commuter omnibuses with stipulated number of passengers and adhering to the sanitisation and disinfection regulations will be permitted to operate,” said the President.
Mnangagwa further said intercity and cross-border movement remain banned.
The country’s informal sector which has, by default, become the country’s biggest employment base, also remains closed.
Among other measures, Mnangagwa maintained the social distancing requirement and the use of face masks and sanitisers among Zimbabweans.
He said regular disinfection of public and private places shall continue.
Mnangagwa said testing capacity in all provinces will increase with private sector testing and isolation centres set to be facilitated.
The 21-day mandatory quarantine for returning citizens continues while all businesses seeking to reopen are required to follow laid down measures in regard to sanitisation, social distancing, temperature checks and monitoring.
In terms of schools, Mnangagwa said public examination classes and final year students must be allowed to proceed but within the prevention measures while phased reopening of schools will be implemented.
Shops will continue operating while employing social distancing requirements and are allowed to operate between the adjusted times of 8am and 4:30pm.
Social gathePRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has extended the country’s lockdown period indefinitely with his government now set to assess the country’s Covid-19 situation at two week intervals.
In an address to the nation from State House Saturday, Mnangagwa announced the country will remain under Level 2 lockdown as efforts were being made to increase the country’s capacity for testing, contact tracing and treatment.
“Zimbabwe will therefore continue on the Level 2 lockdown for an indefinite period,” Mnangagwa said.
“We shall have regular two-week interval reviews to assess progress or lack of it. This should give us more time to strengthen the prevention and case management approaches for various risk populations.
“The modified phase reopening will further allow us to increase surveillance including early detection, testing, isolation, contact tracing, treatment and care with focus on high risk populations.”
Level 2 put in place further restrictions and precautions which businesses have to heed after being given the greenlight to reopen.
Closing hours for shops have however been extended from 3pm to 4.30pm.
The phase, announced two weeks ago when Mnangagwa further extended the lockdown period, makes it illegal for anyone to walk around in a public place without a face mask.
Mnangagwa’s restrictions have been questioned by civil society groups which feel there were not enough safety nets for ordinary citizens and informal traders who lost their only means of survival when the country imposed its lockdown end of March.
Their pleas have however not been addressed.
Added Mnangagwa: “Government noted with satisfaction the continued positive impact of the lockdown measures our country has implemented since 30 March, to date. Initial estimates indicated that by 29th April, Zimbabwe would have about 1 000 confirmed cases of Covid-19.”
Zimbabwe has recorded 42 cases of the pandemic, among them, four deaths and 13 recoveries.
ings, bars and gyms also to remain banned.
Restaurants are allowed to open for take-aways only.
All truck drivers will undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing.
