Legislators have called for the constant inspection of operational restaurants during the lockdown period to ensure they do not become breeding grounds for Covid-19.
The Parliamentarians, Wednesday, noted that due to the drop in rates collection owing to halted economic activities, local authorities are struggling to mobilise finances to enable them to conduct constant inspections.
Zimbabwe is currently under level two of the lockdown under which food outlets are allowed to operate until 10 PM.
Addressing these concerns, Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July Moyo, encouraged law enforcement agencies to assist local authorities and committees from the Ministry of Health and Child Care to ensure that operational restaurants adhere to lockdown regulations.
“Local authorities obviously need to be capacitated in order to follow up and do inspections. This is a joint work that is done by the local authorities together with the environmental health officers of the Ministry of Health and Child Care. We are very conscious that local authorities do not have enough money to supervise but let the Government support them through the relevant Ministry,” Minister Moyo said.
The Minister noted that in the duration of the lockdown, the government, at provincial level, works with all local authorities to ensure that inspecting of food outlets does not stop.
“The strict instruction has been, let us not open every eating place because we cannot supervise what is happening. It is the local authorities supported by the Ministry of Health and environmental health officers who can allow a food outlet to be open. If we open willy-nilly, the spread of this disease will continue in many of our places because of the overcrowding that can take place,” he said.
“In addition, the law enforcement agencies in all the local authority areas, again because of the committees which have been set by the President at national and provincial level have to also assist and enforce so that these food outlets do not become breeding places for Covid-19.”
As of July 15, confirmed Covid-19 positive cases in Zimbabwe were 1089 and 20 fatalities.
