Police in Bulawayo have issued a stern warning to residents, advising them to stay at home during the 30-day nationwide lockdown order as they risk being arrested for defying the Covid-19 restrictions.
A fresh Covid-19 lockdown order was announced Saturday by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Welfare citing a surge of coronavirus cases in the past festive week.
The warning also comes after acting president Kembo Mohadi, told journalists in Harare Sunday that state security agents would strictly enforce the new Covid-19 regulations, which will be reviewed month-end.
Speaking through a loud hailer, Monday, to alert members of the public on the impending Covid-19 lockdown order in Bulawayo, Provincial Police Spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, warned residents not to flock to the city centre otherwise security forces would deal with them.
“Tomorrow (Tuesday) people must stay at home, the only people who are supposed to enter town are those who provide essential services and those needing such services such as those who are seeking medical help. If you have no business in town, stay at home otherwise you will face the support unit (the police’s paramilitary unit), soldiers and police who are to arrest those who defy the order,” Inspector Ncube warned in vernacular isiNdebele.
The police spokesperson also wished those returning back to South Africa safe travels and warned them of the dangers of hiking in unknown vehicles.
A majority of people were seen along 6th Avenue looking for cross border buses but the provincial police spokesperson’s message was targeted to locals to stay at home as he sternly awarned them to comply with the national lockdown order.
During the previous lockdown last year, human rights activists accused security forces of abusing and violating citizens’ rights.
Meanwhile, consumers in Bulawayo were seen in panic mode, stocking food commodities ahead of the 30 day nationwide lockdown order while other residents continued with their usual daily business such as informal trading.
