Chirundu DC gets tough on Covid-19 fight

LILLIAN CHIKANDI@SunZambianCHIRUNDU district commissioner Stafford Kayame says he will not leave any stone unturned in the enforcement of the health directives to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the border town.During an enforcement tour around the main market, Mr Kayame emphasised that no one should be seen walking around in public places without a face mask and sternly warned the shop owners not to attend to customers and likewise customers onto their premises without face masks.He advised shop owners to ensure that all person’s in trading premises wear face mask as a mandatory requirement prescribed by the ministry of health to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 global pandemic.Mr Kayame warned that failure to comply by the set guidelines as prescribed will attract penalties stipulated in statutory instrument 21and 22.The council is encouraging the use of surgical masks, washable home-made masks or clean scarfs to be used to cover the mouth and nose when visiting any public place.And Council secretary John Mwanza said the enforcement of the health directives and Presidential directives on measures to combat Covid-19 under the Local Government Act number 2 of 2019 read with the Street Vending and Nuisance Statutory Instrument No.2 of 2018 should be followed without fail.Mr Mwanza has urged the street vendors, hawkers, groundnuts, refilled water and drinks sellers to conduct their business in designated places. He said people must buy from authorized areas, if they can’t then then they should stay home or risk being arrested and prosecuted.Mr Mwanza has bemoaned that young persons, especially female, are all over the truck parks selling merchandise to truck drivers, while others are doing piece of works cooking and washing clothes and this is happening in full view of truck park owners and staff.He has therefore directed all truck park owners to stop the acts or risk their licenses and permits revoked or withdrawn while truck drivers also risk being arrested, prosecuted and trucks impounded,and is saddened that some of these children have been abused sexually abused.Mr Mwanza further stated that the council in conjunction with the state police and other stakeholders has mounted road blocks to ensure compliance and whoever is not complying will be dealt with according to the law and not allowed to proceed.