Zimpapers Logo

Herald Reporter
At least 15 people from Chundu village in Hwange were arrested last weekend for illegally gathering and drinking an illicit brew in breach of the of the Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

The 15 are part of a group of 150 villagers who were gathered near Chief Hwange’s homestead drinking the beer and making some noise.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests.

“The incident occurred on April 18, where about 150 people were gathered in Chundu village next to Chief Hwange homestead, drinking illicit beer and making noise,” he said.

“Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers raided the place where they clashed with the villagers, resulting in the arrest of 15 people.”

Asst Comm Nyathi said the crowd was not observing social distancing, and the villagers disregarded the directive that prohibits unsanctioned gatherings.

Since the inception of the Covid-19 lockdown measures, police have been urging people to adhere to the directive and health measures put in place to prevent the spread of the deadly pandemic.

The number of arrests has been increasing on a daily basis, a clear indication that some people are not complying with the directive.

On Sunday last week, President Mnangagwa extended the lockdown period by 14 days, which ends on May 3.

To that effect, police announced that the deployments across the country will remain, to enforce the directive and ensure compliance.