Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe yesterday issued a stern warning to opposition parties who are planning to hold a demonstration on 31 July that they face arrests from the police if they break COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
The demonstration comes at a time when Zimbabwe has seen a huge surge in COVID-19 cases with locally confirmed cases rising sharply in the last few days. Yesterday, the country recorded 43 new local cases, the biggest number since the first case was reported in March.
Although the country is still under lockdown, normal life has resumed with most services, aside from commuter omnibuses, being operational.
However, Kazembe said the police will not hesitate to arrest opposition members who will break the regulations as life is more important.
“We are observing Covid-19 regulations and if anyone breaks the law they will be arrested because we are still under lockdown. Life is more important than everything else, life is more critical than anything that one can think of.
“The lockdown is to ensure that we minimise the spread of the virus, we need a collective effort from everyone, including those in the opposition because Covid-19 does not discriminate. We are aware of where the funding for the demonstrations is coming from and we will make sure that they will be exposed,” said Minister Kazembe.
Jacob Ngarivhume, the face behind the demonstration, told 263Chat that they will maintain social distance and issue out masks on the day to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.
“We will have marshals who will ensure that social distance is maintained and we are in the process of sourcing for masks so that whoever comes without, will be given,” he said.
Ngarivhume is hoping that a million people will take to the streets and march against corruption, a number which will be difficult to maintain the World Health Organisation (W.H.O) stipulated number.
Currently, Zimbabwe’s regulations forbid more than 50 people to gather at any given time.
