Biti Drags Govt To Court To Compel It To Enact Regulations Ensuring Social Well Being Of Citizens During Lockdown
4 years agoTue, 14 Apr 2020 06:24:49 GMT
Advocate Tendai Biti, an official in the opposition MDC has filed an urgent application at the High Court to compel the government to enact regulations that support Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020, (the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020).
The SI 2020-083 Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020 was gazetted for the implementation of the 21-day national lockdown which is premised at curbing the spread of coronavirus.
The SI banned or suspended some events and activities. “Essential services” which are not forbidden by the SI include any hospital service; transport service referred to in sections 4(2) and 7(2); generation, supply or distribution of electricity; supply and distribution of water; sewerage or sanitary service; and production, supply, delivery or distribution of food (in particular supermarkets and food retail stores).
There is great concern over the economic and humanitarian effects of the lockdown on the nation. The country already had a serious shortage of many commodities including mealie-meal and the lockdown has reportedly slid many into poverty.
Closure of companies means less to no income to many citizens hence inability to meet daily expenses.
Biti’s lawsuit comes at a time when scores of citizens going about their businesses are being arrested and brutalised for violating lockdown regulations
