MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON COVID-19 IN ZAMBIA
LUSAKA (Sunday 7th February 2021)
Good morning countrymen and women.
I wish to acknowledge and thank His Royal Highness Paramount Chief Mpezeni IV of the Ngoni people for the bold step he has taken to cancel this year’s Nc’wala traditional ceremony in line with guidance received from the government and in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the threat posed to the public from attending such a large event. In the words of His Royal Highness, “it would not be right to rejoice just for three days and mourn our loved ones thereafter”. We are grateful for the example set by His Royal Highness the Paramount Chief and the Ngoni Royal Establishment. The Paramount Chief also appealed to other traditional leaders in the country to set a similar example in their respective chiefdoms. The safety and well-being of our people must come first. It is cardinal that the Traditional Leadership and the Church take the lead in sensitizing their subjects and members to obey Covid-19 Public Health Guidelines.
The poor adherence to wearing face masks by the public especially in crowded settings remains a source of great concern. The wearing of facemasks in public spaces is a tangible and practical measure to curb community spread of COVID-19. With over 1,000 cases reported daily for over a month now, it is evident that we need to take drastic measures in order to break the chain of community transmission, and we are still consulting on the issue of mandatory face mask wearing in public.
