Retailers call for 30-day hard lockdown, urges gvt to review penalties

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) has called on government to introduce a hard national lockdown to stem the growing cases of Covid-19.

CZR President Denford Mutashu said a 30-day lockdown will help turn the tide against the pandemic.

Meanwhile, acknowledging the CZR’s proposal, the ruling party, ZANU-PF said the business lobby group also urged the government to introduce an 8pm to 6am curfew & limit operating hrs from 8am to 4pm daily for essential service providers.

Mutashu also proposed that companies should also submit a list of their essential employees to a command centre in their area of operations.

The retailers urged law enforcement agencies clamp down on illegal gatherings, illegal private house parties and close all shebeens as well as enforcing minimum numbers for funerals, saying only essential services providers should remain operational during the proposed 30-day lockdown.

Public transport operators have also been urged to carry 50 percent of their capacity.

“As CZR we implore Government to revise lockdown offence penalties,” he said.

-Zwnews