Harare - Zimbabwe began a 21-day
nationwide lockdown on Monday, following South Africa in
implementing tough anti-coronavirus measures that are likely to
hurt an economy already suffering from hyperinflation and food
shortages.
But unlike neighbouring South Africa, where many citizens
defied calls to stay indoors and some clashed with security
forces at the weekend, Zimbabweans mostly stayed home.
Zimbabwe's police have a reputation for brutality and were
manning checkpoints on highways into the capital on Monday,
questioning the few motorists on the roads.
The main opposition party, the MDC Alliance, supports the
lockdown and criticised the government for not imposing it
earlier.
Zimbabwe has recorded just seven coronavirus cases and one
death, but President Emmerson Mnangagwa said in a televised
address that citizens should take the restrictions on movement
seriously.
"I want all of you to spend the next 21 days acting as if
you already have the virus ... Would you want to infect your
friends, would you want to infect your families, would you want
to infect your countrymen? Of course not. So, keep your
distance," Mnangagwa said.
He said the security forces would enforce the lockdown "with
a listening ear".
The finance ministry said it had made available 500 million
Zimbabwean dollars (around $20 million) and would unfreeze 4,000
posts in the health sector.
Central Harare's streets were deserted. Banks, government
offices and businesses were shut.
In the poor township of Mbare, the inter-city bus rank was
closed and rows of wooden stalls used by vegetable vendors
abandoned.
Nearby, six men sat outside their flat drinking gin. Fox
Dhalu, a 36-year-old father of three, complained that some shops
had hiked prices.
"The government gave us short notice to prepare for this
coronavirus lockdown. We are very angry about this," he said.
A few blocks from the police station in the middle class
suburb of Mabelreign, 73-year-old grandmother Angela Nerwande
sat on an improvised stool selling vegetables on her stall.
"What will my grandchildren eat if I stay at home? "At my
age I am not afraid of dying. If they want to arrest me let them
come," she said.
In a statement, Zimbabwe Police spokesman Assistant
Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: "The law is very clear, those who
don't comply will be arrested and prosecuted."