HEALTH Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has suggested a total lockdown in order to stop the spread of Covid-19 but President Edgar Lungu says Zambia cannot afford a total lock down because the country is already landlocked.
And Finance Minister Dr Bwalya Ngandu says he does not have money to buy food for people in an event of a lockdown.
During a special Cabinet meeting, Thursday, a lockdown was debated.
Dr Chilufya proposed a total lock down but the Finance Minister objected saying it would pose a serious problem for the economy as there would be no opportunities for resources coming from elsewhere.
“I was listening very carefully to the submissions around the table. Clearly, already without a total lock down, we are beginning to see the negative impact on the economy. We are beginning to see a reduction in terms of value added tax that is coming through, customs duty that is coming through and also in terms of the revenue. So basically, the economy is beginning to slow down and the resource basket is beginning to constrict…So a total lock down will basically shut all opportunity for resources coming from somewhere,” Dr Ng’andu said.
Dr Ng’andu also said he didn’t have resources to buy food to feed people in their houses once a lock down was implemented.
“From where I am, my own means are limited. I’m trying to put together some measures to opulent the budget that has been approved as part of the continuous measures. Part of that will come from our resources which I think we will be able to put together and part of it will come from donor support. But I can clearly say without hesitation that we if we have a total lock down of this economy, we will have a serious problem because I don’t have the resources to for example, to buy food. Because if you lock down the country, people are not moving, those of us who have fridges and so on can afford to [stock up] but for the ordinary person, we will have to find some means by which we will be taking food to these people,” Dr Ng’andu said.
Dr Chilufya then requested to resubmit the proposal, saying he used a wrong terminology.
He said he was not suggesting a shutdown of everything but clarified that essential services like buying and selling of food would be allowed.
“I would like to resubmit and make some corrections. The word lock down, I can clearly hear from the feedback, has been misunderstood. The word lock down, we are not talking about the shutdown of everything. I should put it correctly by saying I have used wrong terminology. Essential services continue which include buying and selling of food. Because if people don’t eat, then their health is harmed. So what is now put in place are measures. Things like buying food and selling food, medical services and security (police and army) that is preserved,” Dr Chilufya said.
“What is discouraged is where people engage in non essential travel, non essential work. For instance if you are not going to buy a bag of mealie meal, food, you are not going to seek treatment, stay home. It limits the possibility of contact with someone who has a virus.”
Vice-President Inonge Wina then said ministers needed to understand that the President would need to invoke certain Acts which allowed certain measures to be taken so that he would be covered if for example, he allowed the army to go on the streets.
“At the last council meeting of ministers, I think it was agreed that the measures that will be announced by the President or the line ministry that we have been given permission to do so, should be done in phases so that we observe the situation as we implement a few measures and see how these measures are impacting on the population. For example, we have started with the issue of young children in schools and universities. We closed universities and we have seen how this is working out. And I’m sure the Ministry of Education is also developing other measures to take care of these children who are with parents at home and to see how the parents can be assisted to ensure that the children are kept in order,” she said.
“Then only yesterday or the day before, His Excellency announced measures on closing bars, restaurants and others. Honourable ministers should also be aware that some of the measures that we ask the President to take in may need to invoke certain acts for instance the Disaster Management Act which allows certain measures to be taken, will cover the President when for example orders the military to be on the streets and other measures that can be taken in that regard.”
And President Lungu argued that Zambia could not afford a total lock down for now as the country was already landlocked.
“What we are saying for now is that we cannot do a total lock down. But we will manage within what we have proclaimed. Zambia is landlocked. If you ask the Minister of Transport, we have trucks marooned in Mozambique with fuel supply and other supply [destined] for Zambia,” said President Lungu.
President Lungu emphasized continued wider and rapid testing and isolation of suspected cases of Coronavirus; immediate operationalizing of the COVID-19 Contingency Plan Budget to fight covid-19; escalating and broadening contact tracing as well as fast-tracking effective treatment for everyone in need through sufficient oxygen supply and stable electricity supply to health institutions, among others.
19 responses
I love our President…. He feels for his people… God bless you your excellency.
You are waiting for people to start dying, then a locked down will be implemented.Let’s learn from Italy and other countries. As a country we don’t have enough hospitals ,Doctors and equipments to handle a large number of infected people. No need to debate about it ,but just put the right measures and lockup the country.For the better of the country and the people at large.
The least sensible argument came from the President lungu. What a shock. A lockdown will happen whether you like it or not. It’s a question of whether you do it now to reduce transmission or later when many Zambians are dying and you have no respirators or hospital beds for them. In most countries all essential services are continuing even in a lockdown. You re the head of state, if trucks are rooted in Beira, why don’t you pick up the phone and Negotiate with your colleagues. president of Mozambique?
The whole idea of a lockdown is to preserve human life which is at a risk of extinction, we have heard some people are objecting because they want to preserve money in the event that the people for whom the money is meant perish on who is it going to be used?
Some of the colleges here in Zambia are not closed, students are at high risk of getting inflected with the virus
Some of the colleges here in Zambia are not closed, and students are much more at high risk of getting infected. Because some of the students they like moving about.
A TOTAL LOCK DOWN WILL DECAMPAIGN THE RULING PARTY. OPEN YOUR EYES PARTRIOTIC FRONT (PF). ZAMBIA’S ECONOMY CANNOT SUSTAIN A TOTAL LOCK DOWN AS A MEANS TO STOP CORONAVIRUS. BE CAREFUL WITH SOME ADVISORS! THEY WILL DEFECT! PEOPLE SELL PRODUCTS NOT IN FOOD FORM TO BUY THE SAME FOOD THEY SHOULD EAT ON A DAILY BASIS. THINK ABOUT THEIR SURVIVAL!
I suggest lock down in three or four provinces….C/belt,Lsk,Northern and Southern…..just for towns along the main roads… If Lsk has lock down no one from Eastern will travel in….consider it before it’s too late…
Please Lock down is inevitable
Lockdown is the solution like what other countries have done, don’t wait for people to die
Why can’t they stop movement of public transport, local and those from one town to the other ? That way, movement will be minimized. The only problem problem here would be the critical ill who can’t afford a private car, how do they move to hospital ?
What about our money with NAPSA.. Why isn’t the Minister of finance drawing from that source of revenue. We have been contributing to NAPSA for many years now, why not use the same funds to feed us for 21 days.?
True if zambia take this stage of landlocked people will die , we work hand to month
I believe we as African nations should work together in fighting this pandemic. Seeing Zimbabwe going on lockdown on the 30th of March n Congo already locked down, it will be a bad move for Zambia to continue with day to day business like nothing is going on. Prevention is better than cure, its best to deal with the few cases that are there now than to wait for the number to get bigger n for ppl to start dying for the shutdown to be made an option. Lets learn from USA and how Trump’s tortoise pace has put the country at #1 in total cases
LOCKDOWN SHOULD START WITH CABINET AND NOT THE CHURCH
This is completly unnecessary.. African governements shouldn’t take drastic measures without thinking this trough.. There is no need to go into lock down.. African people are more scared of hunger than a fake virus.. There is no virus. This is the take down if the crooked Hollywood, European Royales and governments across the world.. The swamp is draining.
I think the health minister has a point, let us not wait until many life are down with the virus then think of shutting down. Now is the time to take action which will protect life from getting the virus. I have noticed public buses are in full function, the virus can easily be transmitted on buses as people are closely packed in our buses, some does not even have proper ventilation, no measures have been put in place to insure safety of the public as buses are picking and dropping people at any point as usual. Please look at the issue of shutting down with concern of the public who are at the moment have not realize how serious the situation is. Thank you and God bless.
Zambia is a beautiful country and we must protect it at all costs. Coronavirus was known by China hence the series movie MY SECRET OF TERRIUS On Netflix believed to have been produced in 2018. Watch S1 E10. You notice china had the three viruses known “MERS, SARS,THE COMMON FLU”
Watch after 53 minutes , “The Corona virus attacks the respiratory system ” the actors clearly tell the truth about what is been said now. In the same episode the minister gives instructions to the school boys and girls the same way it is told to wash hands.
But it is said someone altered the virus to have a 90% infection rate as compared to 20% in 2015.
We know that the Gate is not closed so we let people from infected countries to come in freely and infect the Zambian people. I can see that you enjoying announcing numbers as these aIrways travellers bring in the Corona virus through the Lusaka Gate to the sitting Zambian tenants : ahhh Zambia has recorded 3 corona virus patients, Zambia has now recorded 9 corona virus patients, oh we have followed them in Luanshya now we have 35, ok ?
This virus in the mean time has no cure. How do you know that these aIrways travellers are not spreading the virus as they are found everywhere.
Can you Please show us the facilities that you claim are already setup.? Show us the structures, beds, equipment, and indeed manpower employed for this OPEN Gate aIrways infected people coming in to spread the Virus?
See how USA, ITALY, INDIA , PAKISTAN, SPAIN, CHINA, People are dying and Zambia has not experienced any death. Let’s do a lockdown, Developed countries like America are in trouble check CNN, BBC.
This pandemic is not something to dance about as seen in the media this virus is real. STAY AT HOME. LETS NOT WAIT FOR THE WORST TO HAPPEN,
We need Help from National Service, Zambia Army, and National Guardvto enforce the corona virus presidential decrees. The council Police and state Police need reinforcement and this mudt be done now. Clearning of streets, houses, markets must start now with the help of of the Wings of law to reduce the outbreak.
Let’s support the efforts of the Government .This is no time for campaigns on politics, but provide solutions to defeat corona virus
One Zambia One Nation.God bless Zambia in this difficult times.
This is honestly funny to read the government has received countless donations COUNTLESS some are not even mentioned on the news and they want to say they don’t have enough money for a lockdown a two week lockdown can do better than nothing. You can’t wait for dozens to die first before you act.