A joint team of health inspectors from the Solwezi municipal council, council and Zambia police officers have apprehended eight-bar owners who defied the presidential directive banning bars from operating.
Solwezi Municipal Council Assistant Public Relations Manager Esther Chirwa told the media in Solwezi that the team conducted patrols and inspections of business houses on Sunday and found some bars open.
Ms. Chirwa said the team, which conducted patrols in Kyawama, Muzabula, Magrade, Kazomba, Messenger and Zambia compounds among other areas, also confiscated merchandise and revoked liquor licenses.
She commended Solwezi residents for reporting business owners that open their premises to members of the public against the Presidential directive.
Ms. Chirwa said the precautionary measures put in place are not meant to cripple businesses but to cushion the further spread of COVID-19, adding that business owners should therefore adhere.
She said those apprehended may be tried in the fast track court.
She thanked those that have complied with the guidelines that were announced by the Head of State.
During his national address last week, President Edgar Lungu ordered the closure of bars, night clubs, gyms, cinemas and casinos with effect from Thursday 26th March 2020 in an effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 whose confirmed cases are now 36 in the country.
Just start confiscating their booze and you will see how fast they will close!!
Tarino you should also stop operatin that kachasu shabeen you are runing ,we will also cornfisticat you drums of local wine,
But it’s business as usual for liquor wholesalers. What’s the rationale behind this selectivity? Is it because foreigners are involved? In any case, if there was genuine desire to close bars, does it not make sense to close off the supply chain?
The best government can do is to support small businesses ordered to close . Sometimes being born in Africa feel like a curse . The some Government is expecting employers to pay their employees from were?
Thank you, betters. Imagine when mall landlords start asking for their money. At least they paid their employees, where will the next salaries come from??
You were warned! Is it worth losing your stock for ? Be reasonable fellow zambians..think about others for once
Madam ester katongo said its legal to whip unruly citizens who are not followin the directive, please whip them as many stroks as you can how can the disregard the highest order from the plot 1
Zambians should take COVID-19 virus very seriously, because if it happens to spiral out of control, there’s no way you’re going to bring it under control. You’ll have 700 or 800 or more people dying in a day, as is happening in America. And yet America has even better health facilities, better hospitals, etc. But still people are dying in large numbers PER DAY. This is nothing to play with. Fools will always cause innocent people to die needlessly, in a time like this. The government should make sure everyone follows the preventative measures, and punish heavily the rebellious law breakers.
Kainyo Zulu, you kanamunungu, should also stop your incognito ventures with Chagwa and CliDoris Slit to that basement shabeen called Chingaipe Sansamka in Chawama!
Personally I think we should close all bars for ever, how Saudi Arabia and other muslim countries manage.
We are not a Muslim nation. Closing bars and booze industry has already been tried in America in the 20s and the end result?? That’s the problem with Zambia, copy and paste-no original thinking. South Korea didn’t even shut down yet they have the best covid-19 stats. The “defiance” is because of economic reasons-GRZ should have set up a fund to support these businesses!
@Kaizar Zulu: Have you stopped fighting? Bwanji ukobda ndeo?
Comment:When are the Gyms, Cinemas and bars going to start operating. Because non of the well wishers or the government helped those that are depending most in these areas and they are now ending up to do it illegal which is not the case just for them to put a meal on the table for their families.
My suggestion why not allowing them to do take away just like restaurants. Cinemas with a minimum number in order to maintain the Social Distance Same with the gyms.
Your maths just does not make sense. How do you close bars say you controlling social distancing/gathering to contain the spread and yet it is business as usual for Markets and Bus terminals/Bus Stops. What it the logic here?
@Bashi Nono: That one baffles me!!! Just go through Freedom Way and it’s business as usual. Covid-19 is more likely to explode in these areas than bars and gyms. Not much analysis and rational went into that decision, it’s some incompetent people who wanted to prove they are working. @Stanley: great suggestions my man.
@Zambian citizen, that’s why we keep saying Lungu is a clueless guy, and shows no logic whatsoever in what he does. If COVID 19 breaks out in these overcrowded minibuses, it’s going to be a catastrophe. And like I’ve warned before, once the number of infections begins to go up beyond 1000, it’ll become difficult to control it. Thereafter, Zambia will begin to experience the horrors of this disease. This is nothing to play with. Prevention is better than cure.
Remember Ladies and Gentlemen ‘It is health that is real
wealth and not pieces of gold and silver’Mahatma Gandhi. Not to go against the measures put in palce to avoid the spread of this decease by selling in your bar please! Heed the presidential Directive. Close the bar
Let my chakolwas go!!!!
As Zambians we need to take the measures that his Excellency the president has put in place seriously, to avoid the spread of the virus .It is very difficult for the business men and women to sacrifice there businesses. but come to think of it, if this virus spreads all over our country and people die because of our ignorance. are we going to be able to use the same ignorance to bring people back to life. To all the business men and women whose business has been affected. don’t feel bad because it is worth it for our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters , we have to continue asking for healing in our nation and the world at large in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ .
if gyms, casinos and cinemas pose covid-19 danger. what about public transport buses where people either sit next to each other or squeeze themselves? and if this virus can spread through surfaces, does it mean people in public transports don’t touch surfaces, people in markets don’t touch touch? there is no logic in this selectivity. if social distancing is what we want to achieve then close all places that get crowded instead of selecting a few. the reason why these bar owners begin to close themselves inside is because it is not fair that they have to close when other businesses where social distancing is not possible are operating. make a schedule for how markets must operate to prevent crowding
wash your hands regularly, what happens if the first person to open the tap is infected? social distance, what happens if the person two meters away is going into the same room you’re going and before they enter they have to hold the handle you’re also going to hold? how much are you going to spend on hand gloves and masks? let us try to do all we can to prevent this, but this is a fight only God can end. what we need is a united prayer to God instead of panicing and fearing for our lives. what is not part of God’s will, will not happen.