The Zimbabwean government recently gazetted Statutory Instrument 10 of 2021 which spells out how the current lockdown is supposed to work. The latest lockdown was announced by the Health Minister Chiwenga who also doubles as the Vice President following a spike in COVID-19 cases. A number of prominent people and those connected to prominent people passed away during the past few days. Calls for restraint during the New Year’s holiday were also ignored as several parties were held with a super-spreader event held in Mbare.

What the instrument says

IT is hereby notified that the Minister of Health has, in terms of section 8(1) of the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) Regulations, 2020 (published in Statutory Instrument 77 of 2020) made the following order—

1. This Order may be cited as the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (No. 2) (Amendment) Order, 2021 (No. 9).
2. The Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (No. 2) Order, 2020, published in Statutory Instrument 200 of 2020 (hereinafter called “the principal order”), is amended in section 5 (“Prohibition of gatherings”) (1) by the deletion of “no gathering of more than one hundred individuals in any public place” and the substitution of “no gathering of more than two individuals in any public place”.
3. Section 25 (“Curfew, limitation of business hours and other measures affecting businesses”) of the principal order is amended by the repeal of subsections (2) and (3) and the substitution of—
“(2) There shall be in force a curfew beginning at 1800 hours and ending at 0600 hours on the following day”.
4. The principal order is amended by the insertion after section 27 of the following sections—
“Partial Reversion to Level IV national lockdown
27A. (1) In this section—
“Level IV national lockdown” means the application of the national lockdown as if (subject to this section) Parts IV and V of the Order, together with section 19C (“Special provisions for liquor licensees”) are not in effect.
(2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Order, for a period of thirty days with effect from the 3rd January 2021, a Level IV national lockdown is in force subject to the following modifications —
(a) for the purpose of section 5 (“Prohibition of gatherings”) (1)(b), the maximum number of individuals who may be gathered at a funeral is thirty (30);
(b) section 5 (“Prohibition of gatherings”) (1)(i) (referring to individuals gathered pursuant to Part V) is suspended for the period of the Level IV national lockdown;
(c) section 5 (“Prohibition of gatherings”) (1)(j) (referring to individuals gathered for the purpose of worship) is suspended for the period of the Level IV national lockdown;
(d) section 5 (“Prohibition of gatherings”) (1)(j) (referring to individuals gathered for the purpose of public hearings) is suspended for the period of the Level IV national lockdown;
(e) section 5 (“Prohibition of gatherings”) (1)(k) (referring to individuals gathered at restaurants and hotels) is suspended for the period of the Level IV national lockdown unless the individuals in question are hotel residents;
(f) Part IV (“Phased Relaxation of National Lockdown”) shall continue to be in force for the period of the Level IV national lockdown;
(g) Part V (“Level 2 Phased Relaxation of National Lockdown”) is suspended with effect from the 5th January 2021, which suspension shall continue until the end of the period of the Level IV national lockdown;
(h) for the avoidance of doubt, section 19C (“Special provisions for liquor licensees”) is suspended for the period of the Level IV national lockdown;
(i) business hours for supermarkets and other essential and Part IV services supplying goods and services to customers shall be from 0800 hours to 1500 hours.”.