Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
POLICE in Matabeleland North have started raiding shebeen operators intensifying arrests of people who flout lockdown regulations.
There have been concerns by health authorities and residents in Hwange about prevalence of shebeens that are meeting places for imbibers, against Covid-19 protocol.
Social gatherings have been prohibited with only funerals gatherings of not more than 30 people
being allowed, as country fights to reduce new infections.
There are allegations that police have not been enforcing regulations against the shebeens because some of them are run by officers.
Shebeens are also popular in Victoria Falls.
Health and Child Care deputy minister Dr John Mangwiro and Hwange Central legislator Mr Daniel Molokele on Wednesday last week implored members of the Joint Operations Command to raid and arrest shebeen operators and patrons, as there were super spreaders of the virus.
The JOC members were part of the stakeholders that attended a meeting at Hwange Colliery Hospital.
Without giving statistics, Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda said police will not hesitate to arrest anyone who flouts Covid-19 regulations, as the blame game continues on who is operating shebeens which have been fingered for fuelling spread of Covid-19 in Hwange.
He said police have been raiding shebeens and arresting lockdown violators.
Insp Banda bemoaned the hide-and-seek mentality by shebeen operators and appealed to members of the public to cooperate with police.
“As Zimbabwe Republic Police Matabeleland North province we have made several arrests of people who have been flouting the Covid-19 regulations. Shebeen operators have not been spared and arrests have been made.
“However, it would appear most shebeen operators are playing hide and seek with the police. We encourage our valued citizens to report shebeen operators to the nearest police station,” said Insp Banda.
He said police and other stakeholders such as National Aids Council, Hwange Colliery Company, the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services have carried out awareness campaigns around communities.
Hwange has been identified as Matabeleland North’s Covid-19 hotspot as the town keeps recording a high number of new cases.
There are more than 400 active and about 2 000 cumulative cases in Hwange urban.
The province has more than 2 000 active cases and a cumulative more than 5 000 cases.
In Hwange and Victoria Falls, people have not been observing curfew times as they loiter even at night, some going to shebeens and other drinking spots such as bars that sell beer behind closed doors.
-@ncubeleon
Online Reporter