300 arrested for defying Covid rules
Over 300 people have been arrested countrywide for defying the recently gazetted Covid rules, police have said.
National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera Wednesday said some were arrested for operating bars beyond 8 o’clock in the evening while others were nabbed for failing to wear facemasks in public.
“Others have also been arrested for not complying with seating-capacity rules. We, as police, will continue to enforce the laws while ensuring that we are not infringing on people’s rights,” he said
On January 19, the Ministry of Health gazetted Covid rules that, among other coronavirus preventive measures, include the mandatory wearing of face masks in public places.
In the gazetted rules, Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda also made it compulsory for not more than 50 people to meet in one place, including during funeral and other public ceremonies.
Failure to wear a mask attracts a penalty of K10,000 while other offences are punishable by a fine of K100,000 and imprisonment for three months.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has set aside K1 billion for the procurement of facemasks for public use.
