Heal Zimbabwe’s Early Warning and Early Response Situation Room is monitoring how communities are reacting to the national lockdown which was announced by the President on the 27th of March, 2020. Below are some of the reactions recorded today, the 9th of April 2020:
Manicaland
Nyanga
Community members in Nyanga South Magarati Ward 18 Dirorimwe village stayed at home, though some in their fields. Several shops were closed.
Mutasa
It was business as usual in ward 21 as most people were seen roaming at business centres. From around 3pm community members, mostly youths were seen drinking beer in groups. Several shops were open.
In Mutasa North ward 31, there was limited activity at Hauna growth point. Most shops were closed
Buhera
Community members in Buhera West Ward 5 Manjengwa village stayed at home. All shops were open from 10:00hours to 17:00hours. All beer halls were closed.
In ward 9, Chitanda village, community members complied with the lockdown and stayed home.
Chipinge
Today there was a food aid distribution meeting in Ward 27, Chindukumire village. Police officers were deployed around 09:00hours to help community members observe social distance.
In ward 1, Maunganidze village there was also a food aid distribution meeting.
Chimanimani
Community members in Chimanimani West Ward 8 ,Nyanyadzi village stayed at home. All shops opened from 09:00hours to 17:00hours. All bars were closed. Police were deployed around 09:00hours to 17:00hours to enforce the lockdown and encouraged community members to stay at home.
Makoni
There was a funeral in ward 16, Nyamugundura village. Only 50 community members were allowed to attend the funeral.
Nyanga
In ward 18 most community members stayed at home. Several shops were open.
Mashonaland West
Magunje
Today, there were food aid distribution meetings in ward 10 conducted by officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare. The meetings were conducted at Chishumba school,Kapare School and Chisape Business Centre. At all these places, there was no social distance was observed and there were no sanitizers for people at the meetings.
Hurungwe
In ward 24 it was business as usual as people continue to gather for church meetings in groups. Most shops were open.
Masvingo Province
Gutu
ZANU PF members only identified as Mai Samatanga and Muzorori distributed aid from the Department of Social Welfare at Mupandawana centre Ward 34, next to the District Cordinators office. Mai Samatanga distributed most of the aid to known ZANU PF supporters and instructed people to chant ZANU PF slogans. She also informed community members that she was not going to give aid to people who did not chant ZANU PF slogans.
Chiredzi
Community members in Tshovani are staying in their homes. Police in riot gear rounded the community today urging community members around Tshovani old rank to stay in their homes. Yesterday, a group of soldiers moved around Tshovani, harassing community members who were seen moving around. The soldiers were spotted at Chitsanga Hall chasing community members who were moving around the area.
Mashonaland East
Maramba-Pfungwe
Community members from around Mutawatawa area, Ward 6 were gathered at Mungongoma Training centre, Maramba Primary and Maramba Secondary schools where they were receiving food aid from the World Food Program. At all the three gatherings they were buckets and detergents for community members to wash their hands from time to time. Community members also observed social distancing in all the gatherings.
Chitungwiza
Chitungwiza – It is still business as usual for community members in Zengeza 2. Community members are still moving around as if everything is normal. By 1600 hours, over 50 community members were queued at Rufaro Street and TM boreholes, without observing social distancing.
Harare
Mabvuku
Community members in Mabvuku are not taking the lockdown seriously. Community members reported that they have never seen the Zimbabwe Republic Police in the area helping to sensitize community members. At around 1000 hours, over 60 people were moving around Kamunhu Business centre without observing social distancing. By 1600 hours, community youths from around Chizhanje were gathered at a local sports ground playing soccer, just next to Chizhanje shopping centre. By 1600 hours, over 50 community members were queued at a community borehole in Magwenzi Street and opposite Nazarene Church. These community members were not observing social distancing and were not sanitizing the borehole handle to reduce the chances of spreading COVID-19.
Glen Norah
It is business as usual for community members in Glen Norah. By 1630 hours, youths from around Glen Norah were playing soccer whilst other community members were watching at Mukai Secondary School. At a community borehole close to a Car Park in C extension, over 60 community members were queued, with a metre distance in between them. However, none of them had a sanitizer to help sanitize the handle with which everyone was using to pump water from the borehole. Community members expressed concern over shortage of cheaper mealie-meal in local shops, forcing them to travel as far as Zindoga shopping centre and Waterfalls, where queues will be long and winding.
Warren Park
Community members in Warren Park 1 are not staying in their homes as required by the lockdown. By 1300 hours, vendors were displaying their wares at local business centres. By 1500 hours, Harare Municipal Police was helping community members sanitize borehole handles at Pfukwa and Chidehwe business centres.
Source: Heal Zimbabwe
