Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa today told Zimbabweans that it is now time to get back to work but he urged them to remain vigilant because the coronavirus pandemic has not yet been overcome.
Giving an update on the current national lockdown which started on 30 March but was eased on 4 May, Mnangagwa said “we must be vigilant. We must not rest. The virus is still with us. It has neither disappeared nor been destroyed. It has neither vanished nor been vanquished.”
Coronavirus has so far affected 332 people, four have died and 51 have recovered.
He announced four adjustments to the current lockdown which are:
- All our people in the informal sector, who have not formally registered themselves or their enterprises, are directed to do so forthwith. 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;
- Gathering for purposes of worship must remain at a maximum of fifty and in full compliance with all the COVID-19 prevention measures;
- People are urged to travel when it is absolutely necessary; And
- The moratorium on rent payment, made during the early phases of the lockdown is hereby lifted. Rent arrears can be settled in instalments spread over a period of six months
Mnangagwa said as people returned to work it was time refocus, recalibrate and revamp.
“Let us recall that Zimbabwe was in the midst of deep and broad reforms. We were reforming distortions which have bedevilled our economy for decades. We were reforming the old, creating the new, and building stronger foundations for a more prosperous Zimbabwe,” he said.
“We began to reform our economic landscape as well as our political space and media space; by removing antiquated laws and opening up new channels for dialogue and debate.
“Unfortunately, just as Zimbabwe was opening up both internally and externally, we were forced, like much of the world, to close. To close our societies, to close our markets, to close our borders.”
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