The Lazarus Chakwera administration is working on regulations that will make wearing masks mandatory and punish those in violation.
President Chakwera said on Saturday that the regulations will enforce the Coronavirus prevention rules which include maintaining social distance, washing hands and wearing masks.
“At the moment, we do not yet have the law in place to enforce these rules and punish those found to be in violation of them, but the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice are working on providing such a law,” Chakwera said.
Attorney General Chikosa Silungwe and Minister of Justice Tutus Mvalo have confirmed that they have had meetings to work on the regulations.
Silungwe, however, refuted social media reports that the regulations have already been gazetted.
“We are working on the regulations. There is nothing gazetted as of now,” he said.
Malawi has recorded a total of 4,273 cases including 123 deaths and 2,020 recoveries.
On Saturday, Chakwera noted that the fiercest outbreaks of the virus are occurring in the urban areas of Blantyre, Zomba, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu, as well as in the districts that are along the borders with neighboring countries.
He, however, expressed concern that millions of people in these areas are ignoring the prevention rules and behaving as if there is no pandemic.
