Friday, March 29, 2024

Agencies Should Refrain from Abusing and Harassing Citizens found Flouting Covid-19 Guidelines-President Lungu

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President Edgar Lungu has said agencies entrusted to enforce the covid-19 guidelines should refrain from abusing and harassing citizens found flouting the rules.

The President said that it is regrettable that enforcement officers have lately abused or humiliated citizens found flouting covid-19 guidelines.

The President said that enforcement officers can make citizens abide by the covid-19 guidelines without necessarily harassing them.

President Lungu has, however, said the number of people that have contractedcovid-19 since the turn of the year and those who have died is of great concern.

The President says there is correlation between the high numbers of cases and the relaxed observance of covid-19 guidelines in the current spike.

“Arguably we dropped the guard. The covid-I9 guidelines I had announced last year as recommended by health experts were largely ignored and we forgot about the ‘New normal towards the end of 2020,” the President said.

President Lungu added that the festive season came with partying and overcrowding with little observance of the covid-19 health guidelines.

“In September during my Address to Parliament, I partially reopened bars, taverns and nightclubs with serious caution that all covid-19 health guidelines are strictly adhered to. These outlets were to operate from 18:00 hours to 23:00 from Friday to Sunday. This was on a pilot basis and I said should there be any flouting of these public health guidelines, I will be left with no option but to close them again,” the President said.

President Lungu said at no time did he allow these outlets to open daily but this is what is obtaining at the moment leading to the situation citizens are in.

The President has since made a clarion call aligned to the Public HealthCAP. 295 of the Laws of Zambia and COVID-19 associated Statutory Instruments Nos. 21, 22 and 62 of 2020 that:

  1. All citizens must wear masks and practice good hand hygiene when in pUDIC places and gatherings. Masks must be worn correctly if they are to provide the intended protection.
  2.  All public facilities and hosts of public gatherings must ensure provision of hand washing facilities or alcohol-based hand sanitisers and enforce the Use of masks in these facilities.
  3. The local authorities will facilitate disinfection of conveyances and public places including markets, bus stops and stations, shopping malls, places of worship, schools and office places; the owners of the public vehicles are directed to ensure passengers wear masks and are provided with hand hygiene facilities before embarking onto the vehicles. Drivers flouting the rules will have their licences revoked.
  4. Enforcement of public health measures in bars must be in place; the conditions for opening bars must be adhered to. Failure to adhere to these measures may lead to the withdrawal of trading and liquor licences.
  5. All leaders, be it traditional, religious, political, or civil are called upon to lead their followers in adherence to public health measures.

The President says failure to follow these guidelines will invite stringent measures to curb the rise in the number of coviad-19 cases.

The President expects the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Health to ensure bar, tavern and nightclub owners and patrons strictly observe the opening days and hours, and the public health regulations, guidelines and certifications. Conversely, the President expects the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education to ensure schools, colleges, and universities adhere strictly to public health regulations, guidelines, and certification when they open.

The Presicent said:, “All relevant authorities, including parents and guardians must contribute to the protection of pupils and students.”

The President has also urged frontline workers, in charge of testing to ensure they make available contacts that people can use to call them when they feel unwell.

“I am aware that sometimes the results are made available when some people have already recovered but may have infected other people. Therefore, we need to expedite the availing of results to our citizens,” the President said.

President Lungu has, however, commended all Frontline workers for their courage and resilience when looking after covid-19 patients.

“These are Men and Women of the Year 2020 because without them thousands of lives would have been lost,” the President said.

The President mourns with all bereaved families and wishes all citizens God’s protection and blessings. President Lungu adds that Home-based care solutions such as “steaming”, Using eucalyptus leaves, consuming vitamin C, ginger, garlic, honey and cinammon concoctions are some of the tested remedies that health experts are recommending.

“All of us are either affected, infected or even re-infected,”the President said.

41 COMMENTS

  1. And Jonas must get busy at the Ministry of Health, he is a good guy, daily covid briefings can be given out by his directors, him must be busy with work, let us atleast get panadol and other things in to our hospitals

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  2. Bowman was the one whipping people, the MMD die hard is so big and muscular from the time he landed a ministerial job, good mealie le

  3. Very wise words my great leader. You are the greater leader in Africa.

    Some are saying this should apply to lusambo but what they don’t understand is that the lusambo method works effectively. And also acts as a deterrent. I will be joining bro lusambo at the weekend to whlp all those that don’t have ears.

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  4. Why speak in tongues imwe Ba Edgar? It is one idyot in name of Bowman who abuse or brought about the abuse of citizens. People were discouraged by such dogs like Lusambo.

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  5. Kaizer, you are contradicting your boss. Your boss is discouraging the Lusambo method and you call him wise snd then in the same breath you are saying you will opt to join Lusambo!

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  6. “Easier said than done!”. ECL should give a good example by scaling down on his unnecessary travels and gatherings.

  7. What contradiction? There is nothing about lusambo in that article unless I magically you are able to see his name.

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  8. Following the theory that we may have to live with Covid for months, perhaps even years to come, it is wise to be tolerant and find a compromise as we learn to live with it. The new normal or new reality as I prefer to call must not be a heavy cross to carry nor incovinience anyone trying to earn a living. I know that Africans generally adapt to harsh conditions more easily than Europeans, so let’s not copy all their guidelines but always consider what is favoravble for us. What works out well for them could end up being destructive for us.

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  9. Kaizer, I thought you had some perceptive powers but I am shocked with your low response. Harassing and abusing those flouting COVID rules. You commented on Lusambo doing that to people who were attending the wedding and at night clubs! Don’t you remember your own comments of those actions. No need to mention names just like when people refer to a drunkard leader in Zambia one can use make a definite conclusion. Use your technician training you know you are contradicting yourself. Kwata!

  10. I thought a few hours ago Dora stated that agencies were not enforcing Covid regulations? Two views poles apart. One, there is no enforcement, the other, there is unnecessary harassment in the enforcement.

  11. Kaizer, watch video 6 April 2020 and see what Lusambo said he was doing and review what the president said. If you have reasonable grey matter and a few convolutions in there you will see your contradiction. No need to debate further!

  12. What about your Pombe Mr President? Magufuli does not believe in Covid so Tanzania keeps pouring Covid into Zambia.
    Tanzania stopped counting at 509 cases and 21 deaths.

  13. How about him? Is he going to suspend his travels as way of leading by example? It is too simplistic to say bars and taverns alone have contributed to the spike in Covid-19 cases. The president has been travelling around, and it is de facto that where ever he goes, people will congregate to see him. And at such gatherings, it is difficulty to observe social distance.
    The president should walk the talk by suspending his public gatherings or else, the spike will land at his door step.

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