Presidential inauguration to adhere to strict Covid-19 measures: 20 000 people to attend
President Lazarus Chakwera has trimmed the number of people to patronize the inauguration ceremony on 6th July which will be held at Bingu National Stadium (BNS) in Lilongwe from 40,000 to 20,000 in order to maintain the appropriate social distance to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus.
The President made the remarks on Saturday in Lilongwe during a media briefing to address the rapid increase of Covid-19 cases the country has so far registered.
“No one will be allowed to enter the stadium without a mask, sanitizing and washing of hands, as well as having their temperature checked.
“I know that they are those who believe the best way is just to cancel this event. The merits of this approach is not lost on me but i believe what is best for us as a society is to find new ways of functioning in the face of Covid-19 and not paralyzing our functions all together,” stated Chakwera.
The Malawi leader added that there will be 100,000 face masks on hand for those who will come without a mask in addition to electing a presidential task force on Covid-19 to work together with the inaugural committee to ensure that all the preventive measures are implemented as a matter of priority.
“The work of a taskforce requires direction and discipline as well as a seamless coordination between public and private stakeholders.
“To provide direction to these efforts and review the efficiency thereof, I will soon be announcing a new Minister of Health and a new Principal Secretary for Health to start their work by Tuesday,” he said.
President Chakwera assured the nation of a transparent and consultative process in formulating and implementing strategies to fight against the Coronavirus.
There has been over 1, 400 recorded Covid-19 cases in the country with the majority being local transmissions.
Crowd control has been problematic ever since Malawi was born so saying 20000 souls only is a joke. Scrap the anniversary after all we votes and the president was sworn. Next is please let’s have immediately a minister for health covid is dengaroua don’t say you weren’t told. Let’s swallow the campaign rhetoric and face facts. Our health require ministerial direction not homeland security
In view of the current status of COVID-19, a pragmatic leader worth the label would have cancelled the stadium gathering and asked people to watch the event from home. Community spread of the corona virus is clear. Halving the capacity of the stadium and face masks that will be missused will not stop the virus from spreading at the stadium. And the billions of Kwacha that will be wasted at the event should go to fight the exponentially rising COVID-19. But as we all know, common sense is the most rare sense.
zangovuta mwina kukanakhala ma screen aajulu mmadela kuti anthu alumikizane ndi ose aku stadium
BICC.
Ma case a Covid akuculuka.
MA BORDER SANATSEKEDWE.
JONI YADZATULA A MW.NDONDOMEKO PANALIBE
Thanks,Mr president for those 100,000 masks,am Still waiting to hear that all malawians should wear masks in all public places.like in market place,shops etc.All the best Mr president.
20000 people are coming fir the inauguration
So why 100000 masks. For gate crashers.???Sad. You are already the President. Cancel or just do the ceremony with the chief justice and the guard command….Please Mr President
So the president has already forgotten that he was telling us that convid 19 was just a ploy by Muntharika to avoid elections. And as a religious man we believed him and we voted him because we didn’t want to be cheated by Muntharika that there is convid in Malawi. Anthu ayitenga corona ndiye atuthandiza bwanji.
Kaphwise kwanu
Is the President aware that the Principal Secretary of any ministry is supposed to be a qualified career government employee, who is found in that post due to their qualifications? Moving them for the sake of just initiating a move or emphasising authority, will cause legal implications because those people should still be employed as their retirement age may not have been reached. This President (Captain) needs a lot of help before the ship capsize.
Business time on corona virus now bwana president. Mandatory face musks in shops, markets and offices wil serve some lives
I hope Jappie and Botoman are no longer leading the Covid 19 task force.