There were fewer people than usual in Harare’s central business district on Tuesday as Zimbabwe started a strict 30-day national lockdown in response to the rising cases of COVID-19.
The government last week ordered a stay-at-home lockdown that was set to begin on January 5 under which only essential services providers and workers in manufacturing and mining sectors would be allowed to leave home.
The police mounted checkpoints at various points around Harare and turned back people who did not have documentation to prove that they fall within the essential services category.
They also patrolled various Harare suburbs, ordering people to stay at home.
There were, however, several cases where people ignored the lockdown regulations and went about their business as usual.
In a statement, the police called on the public to take heed of the national lockdown Level Four measures and stay at home, except movement to access food and medicines.
The measures, which also include a dusk-to-dawn curfew and a ban on public gatherings except funerals, are meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 that has so far infected more than 15,800 people and resulted in 384 deaths in the country since March 2020.
However, airports remain open, while intercity travel has been banned with borders open only to commercial cargo and vehicles transiting to other countries.
The lockdown also bans any form of informal trading, which is the mainstay of the economy and how millions of people earn get their livelihood.
JN/APA