Government speaks about rentals during lockdown: The government of Zimbabwe has spoken about payment of rentals during the national lockdown period. The need to speak came after a fake directive circulated on social media purporting to have been signed by President Mnangagwa. The circular directed landlords and landladies to suspend the collection of rentals during the lockdown period.
The government has set the record straight that it will not interfere with the contracts between tenants and property owners or managers.
Many tenants got excited about the ‘development’ as they were set to save on rentals during these hard times. The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, publicity and broadcasting services Nick Mangwana responded to the social media allegations:
Certainly the President has not issued a moratorium on the payment of rentals. The Covid-19 Taskforce discussed this request from some citizens and concluded that Govt cannot interfere with this civil contract under the current laws.