Heal 18 May 2020 lockdown update Introduction

On the 19th of April, Zimbabwe extended its lockdown with 14 days as a way of escalating measures of reducing the spread of COVID-19. The country’s extension illustrates the government’s commitment towards effectively containing the virus in the country. The current partial lockdown relaxed restrictions on mining companies, agricultural and food producers, among others as a way of ensuring constant supply of revenue to the government and food. The government also rolled out social assistance programs for vulnerable households including the elderly, vendors and People with Disabilities as a way of reinforcing the lockdown extension. The government’s Task Force on COVID-19 also intensified its outreach activities to establish district and provincial isolation centres for cases of COVID-19 across the country.

Issues covered in this Update

In this report, Heal Zimbabwe’s Early Warning and Early Response Situation Room provides an update on: how communities are responding to the extended lockdown, availability and cost of face masks, the conduct of lockdown enforcement officers, the availability and quality of health care services for COVID-19 and other diseases, and the availability of information on COVID-19 in local communities.

Methodology

A total of 4 000 trained Early Warning and Early Response Committee members and atleast 5 000 community members who participate in HZT’s outreach activities, CBOs operating in areas where Heal Zimbabwe operates and Heal Zimbabwe’s Peace Clubs provides and verify information in this update.

Presentation of Updates

Masvingo Province Bikita It is now business as usual as more people around Nyika Growth Point are now moving around. People have also embraced covering their mouth and nose and are making sure that they are covered as they go about their businesses outside their homesteads. Police officers continue to peacefully enforce the lock down. However, police officers are mainly doing their operations in the growth point and neglecting other shopping areas such as Chikuku, Mandadzaka, Nehanda, and Chikukutu. In these places community members are not putting on masks.

Gutu In Gutu people have also resumed their businesses and there is an increase in the movement at Mupandawana Growth Point, Ward 41, Ward 31, Ward 7, Ward 5 and Ward 6. Some community members are putting on masks whilst some are still finding it hard to move around with their masks on. However some community members are complying and have fear that the virus will spread more during this winter season.

Zaka Community members from Jerera Growth Point, Chinorumba shopping centre, Ward 24, Ward 18 and Ward 19 have started moving around. Most of them were stating that they would have preferred that the President stated the date when the lock down would end. Community members no longer believe that the lockdown will end anytime soon, hence they have stopped complying with the lockdown terms especially on the need for them to stay at home. Community members continue to wear their home-made masks as they go about their businesses.

Mwenezi At Neshuro Growth Point, it business as usual especially between 0800 hours and 1630 hours. Business operators at the Growth Point are observing the stipulated business hours. Masks are still not common and most people are not wearing masks. Police officers are also arresting and fining everyone who is caught without a mask.

Chiredzi A consultative meeting organized by the District Development coordinator Mr. Lovemore Chisema with villagers from Chilonga village was abandoned after villagers protested against the presence of security officials at a meeting which sought to discuss the removal of Chilonga villagers from their ancestral land. Initially, local authorities wanted thirty community leaders to attend the meeting. However, due to the sensitivity of the agenda, hundreds of villagers ended up attending the meeting. This puts the indigenous Shangani people of Chiredzi on a likely collision course with authorities, who have already concluded plans with Dendairy owned by Paul Kruger to turn Chilonga/Masivamele communal areas lands into farms to produce lucerne grass for livestock. Over 1 000 households are likely to be displaced. They are bordered by the Gonarezhou National Parks to the south, Malilangwe Conservancy in the east, Triangle and Hippo Valley to the north and Mkwasine sugar estates to the west. The Shangani people highlighted that they were furious about lack of their participation in decision making processes.

Masvingo Despite government’s ban on the importation of cheap second-hand clothes as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 through contamination, vendors in Mucheke, Masvingo urban Ward 4 were observed selling the clothes. The selling of used clothes had also become a source of livelihood for thousands of Zimbabweans in all cities .However, the vending sites of used clothes across the country remain closed while some have been destroyed as part of authorities’ clean-up measures. As a way of earning a living during this lockdown period those selling second clothes are now conducting their business in residential areas. Second-hand clothes are popular because they are affordable and durable than those in clothing shops.

Manicaland Province Mutasa Community members in Ward 21 were moving around without masks. A group of police officers were turning away those who did not have masks from Penhalonga shopping centre. Community members continue to express concern over lack of assistance from the government especially food aid.

Nyanga People are staying in their homes although they were not happy with the extension of the lockdown with an indefinite period. Shop owners have taken advantage of the extension to increase prices of basic commodities. Government has not provided any food aid to community members and organizations such LEAD are no longer providing food aid.

Buhera Community members in Ward 9 continue to stay in their homes. There were no police officers enforcing the lockdown in this ward today. Community members are now appealing for food aid assistance from the government. Community members in Ward 33 were moving around although a majority of them had masks. Police officers were turning away those who did not have masks. In Ward 5, community members were loitering around without masks. They were not observing social distancing at community boreholes. Police officers were seen at Buhera Office shops at around 15:00 hours turning away those who did not have masks

Chipinge Community members in Ward 1 were moving around, with homemade masks and head wraps. Police officers were turning away those who did not have masks. Community members were complaining over the extension of the lockdown, stating that they were running out of food stocks. This ward has not received any COVID-19 related assistance from the government since the start of the lockdown.

Chimanimani Community members in Ward 8 were moving around without masks. A group of police force were seen around 14:00hours, enforcing the lockdown and turning away those without masks. Community members were complaining over the extension of the lockdown. They were appealing for help from the government to cushion them against hunger and starvation during the lockdown.

Makoni Community members in Ward 12 and Ward 15 were moving around without masks. A group of police officers were seen at around 0900 hours turning away those who did not have masks. Shops in Ward 12 were open. However, community members expressed concern over the shortage of basic commodities. Community members were also highlighted that the lockdown has increased household food consumption.

Mashonaland East Province Wedza The police and council were strictly enforcing the lockdown in Wedza Growth Point. Roadblocks were mounted at all entry points to check the number of people being ferried in vehicles, with only four people being allowed in a single light vehicle. No public transport was being allowed to ferry people except ZUPCOs. The police & council were also ensuring social distance at the vegetable market located at the bus rank and also at shopping queues and Engen Service Station which currently has fuel on almost daily basis since lockdown. Community members without masks were being forced to use head wraps to cover their faces and noses. Masks are going for US$1.00 for 2; a price high enough for most families in the district. The demolition of informal vending stalls at Wedza Growth Point (Ward 15), Zaire (Ward 5), Makarara (Ward 3) and Garabha (Ward 6) has exacerbated the poverty and food insecurity levels in the district. Most of the shops across Wedza have also hiked their prices again, after the introduction of level 2 of lockdown such that cooking oil ranges between US$3.00 and US$4.00. Mugodhi Apostolic Church and Johanne Masowe yeChishanu have resumed with their church services despite the ban against gatherings.

Murehwa In Ward 10, it is business as usual as people have resumed their normal activities. They are moving around without masks within their villages. However those who are travelling to Murewa centre are putting on some cloth or home-made masks as per government instruction. Transport to the centre is proving to be difficult to get and most people have resorted to walking, with some walking a distance of more than 12km one way. In Ward 27, it is also business as usual. The people from ward 27 are now able to travel to Murewa centre with a letter from the Councillor. The police have been monitoring the movement and ensuring that people travelling to Murehwa centre wear masks and have a valid reason to go there.

Mashonaland West Hurungwe People are no longer staying in their homes. In ward 15, there were no police officers enforcing the lockdown today. Most shops at Chiedza Business centre were open although they had no basic commodities such as sugar and mealie meal in their stocks. LEAD Trust and Social Welfare Department have also ceased supplying food aid in this ward. On the 16th of May, Member of Parliament Mary Mliswa gathered village heads at Donzvi Primary School in Ward 24 and gave them 65Kg of rice each and other basic commodities.

Harare Metropolitan Province Chitungwiza People are no longer staying in their homes despite the extension of the lockdown. Most of the community members survive on informal jobs such that if they do not go out to work they will not have food on their table. Community members highlighted that the government is not helping out with food and basic subsistence despite it knowing fully well that the majority of its citizens are employed in the informal sector. Makoni business centre shops were open although they had no mealie meal in their stocks.

Mabvuku Community members in Old and New Mabvuku are no longer staying in their homes. People have resumed their normal businesses. They are no longer practicing social distancing and most shops are no longer sanitizing their customers. At Kamunhu Business Centre in Ward 19 shops and beer halls were open throughout the day. Police were not available to enforce the lockdown in the area today. Community members were complaining over lack of running water in Mabvuku. People queue at local boreholes where there are no sanitizers to disinfect the borehole.

Mashonaland Central Province Muzarabani Community members from Ward 17 are still staying in their homes. However community members were not happy with the extension of the lockdown as they are worried that their children will miss out on education. Police were not available today to reinforce the lockdown at Hoya Growth Point. Business operators at Hoya Growth Point have taken advantage of the lockdown extension to hike prices of basic food commodities such that a 2kg of sugar is now going for US$4.00 whilst a 10kg of mealie meal is now going for US$6.00.

Matabeleland North Province Lupane It was calm today at Lupane Centre, with people going about their businesses as usual. There was mealie meal at Zapalala supermarket,a 10kg bag was being sold selling for ZWL$260.00 and most people could not afford the prize. Wearing face masks was observed by most people at the centre and they remain a must for one to gain entrance into most shops in Lupane. People from St Lukes, Gwaai and Matshakayile wards stayed in their homes and there were less people at local