ANTI-RIOT police swooped on shops on Wednesday in the Central Business District (CBD) forcing them to close and re-open upon payment of a fine after slapping them with a failure to fumigate charge, Zim Morning Post has learnt.
Most of the shops located down town Harare (CBD) were closed.
Surprisngly , upon payment of the fine, police were distributing flyers advertising a a company that offers fumigation services.
The name of the company is Tronate Chemicals and it could not be established what arrangement was reached between police and the company in question.
“When we paid the fine we were asked to call that fumigation company and advised that they were the ones offering the service,” said a disgruntled shop owner.
On May 16, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the continuation of Level 2 of the lock-down and categorically stated that registered businesses which have been allowed to continue operating will now be able to work between 8 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., compared with the six-hour day imposed previously.
“Zimbabwe will… continue on the level two lockdown for an indefinite period. The country needs to ease out of the lockdown in a strategic and gradual manner,” Mnangagwa said in a live broadcast.
The President said informal street markets, where millions of Zimbabweans formed a vibrant sector through commodity broking and vending will remain shut while the government consults health experts on appropriate re-opening strategy.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has recorded 63 confirmed COVID-19 cases to date.
