President Peter Mutharika has been hailed for his declaration of Malawi as a state of disaster, which has led to bans on wedding ceremonies, political rallies and street vending.
According to people on the streets of Blantyre, the ban is important in preventing the spread of Covid-19 which is said to be spread through contact with an infected person.
A Ndirande resident in Blantyre hailed the president on the ban by saying the pandemic is not sparing any country whether rich or poor.
“I like the idea of our president, that’s the heart that leaders must have. This is what we call caring for his people and he should continue it even though our country has not registered even a single case of the disease,” she said.
However, one resident suggested that the ban was aimed at stopping opposition political parties from holding a rally in Mangochi district.
“Declaring emergency without a case is so political, and with the fact that the president has just made-up the decision without consulting the Parliament to approve and make up a budget to fight against the pandemic,” said one person.
Another one argued that government should have first closed the borders to prevent people of other nationalities from entering into the country since they are the same people that can bring the pandemic in our country.
“You know it’s a joke to see other people from outside the country entering this nation without being screened by the health experts if they really have the Corona Virus or not.
“And on the other hand, as a nation we don’t have plenty of testing equipment to test people if they have the virus,” he said.
Malawi is yet to register a case of the coronavirus but authorities have also taken measures to prevent the disease.
The measures include encouraging people to wash their hands frequently and banning social gatherings.
The government has also banned travel of foreign nations from highly affected countries while Malawians arriving into the country are being encouraged to self-isolate for 14 days.
Starting Wednesday this week, cross-border travel and international flights will be banned.
