Harare, Bulawayo to go into full scale lockdown before 31 July
Zimbabwe’s most populous cities Harare, Bulawayo and Chitungwiza will go into full scale lockdown before 31 July, according to sources.
Savanna News is on good authority that the security sector has resolved to lockdown Harare, Bulawayo and Chitungwiza for at least a week before the planned July 31 protest against the Zanu PF government.
“The public demonstration will not see the light of the day. The police and the army has the situation under control. There is not much that needs to be done besides the current lockdown measures which will be scaled up. Movement between surburbs will also be restricted,” said source in the security sector.
Another source said the government is still discussing the possibility of jamming or switching off the internet as an alternative if the planned scaling up of the lockdown fails.
Information secretary of the government Nick Mangwana has hinted about the possibility of a strict lockdown for the two major cities.
Mangwana said, “Harare has the vast majority of Covid19 cases. Yesterday Bulawayo recorded 30 of the 53 positive cases. If there is any scaling up of containment measures, a more surgical approach is better. It means full scale lockdown should only apply to Harare and Bulawayo.”
The security forces abruptly shutdown down, Harare, Bulawayo and Kwekwe CBDs before, disregarding the President’s call to ease lockdown measures. Some Zimbabweans who commented on Mangwana’s suggestion believe the Ministry of Health is reporting false statistics to justify an intensive approach to lockdown.
ZDF spokesman Colonel Mugwisi denied that their staff were involved in the shutdown of the cities. The government argued the security forces were only enforcing the lockdown.
Leader of a minority opposition party Jacob Ngarivhume started the 31 July protest before it was endorsed by Zimbabwe’s largest opposition party leader Nelson Chamisa. Chamisa said he welcomes every initiative that is aimed at fighting corruption and removing Zanu PF. Another opposition leader and former Zanu PF minister Nkosana Moyo welcomed the July 31 initiative and said Zimbabweans must take that opportunity to fight corruption.
Zimbabwe is experiencing it’s worst economic crisis in decade with 7 million of its citizens being food insecure according to the World Food Program. Unofficial statistics estimate unemployment rate to be over 90%. Official inflation figures are at 800% and the Zimbabwe dollar has depreciated with over 700% percent since the abolition of the 1:1 principle in 2019.
Pictures: Zimbabwe nurses chased by police during demonstration
The Covid-19 lockdown has increased suffering among Zimbabwean as the government has not intervened as promised by President ED Mnangagwa.