A. Nature and description of emergency COVID-19 measures taken by Zimbabwe

Orders

1. Public Health
   (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020
   

   In Zimbabwe, the Minister of Health in consultation with the President published the COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment Order. The Order introduced several lockdown measures including the initial period of 21 days between 30 March to 19 April 2020. The Order defined several terms within the context of specific usage during the pandemic in Zimbabwe. Some of these terms are ‘essential service’, ‘medical supplies’, ‘national lockdown’, ‘public place’, ‘social distancing rule’ etc. It prohibited gatherings and false reporting during the lockdown period. False reporting is punished by the provisions of section 31 of the Criminal Code Law with a fine or an imprisonment term not more than twenty years.

2. Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (Amendment) Order, 2020 (No. 5)
   

   This Order was made primarily to extend the period of lockdown in Zimbabwe from 30 March to 17 May 2020. It also introduced new terms like ‘face masks’ and mandates its use in public places, new health measures in public transport systems and phased re-opening of businesses in Zimbabwe.

Regulations

1. Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) Regulations, 2020 
   According to the provisions of the Regulations, it was promulgated to enable the implementation of measures to prevent, contain and treat the incidence of COVID-19. Some of these measures include prohibited gatherings, compulsory testing, detention, quarantine and isolation etc. It also provided for the ‘enforcement officers’ which consists of police officers. 
   

   On 15 December 2020, the government further issued regulations for public gatherings and allowable numbers (Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (No. 8. On 31 December 2020, Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 (N0. 5) declared COVID-19 as Formidable Epidemic Disease.

2. Public Health
   (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 (No. 1) 
   A major amendment introduced by these Regulations was the definition of ‘enforcement officer’ to include a member of Defence Forces of Zimbabwe authorised by his or her commanding officer…’ to enforce the provisions of the Regulations put in place by the Government of Zimbabwe.

Notice

1. Civil Protection (Declaration of State of Disaster: Rural and Urban Areas of Zimbabwe) (COVID-19) Notice, 2020 
   By way of Notice, the President of Zimbabwe issues a directive declaring a ‘state of disaster’ per Section 27(2) of the Civil Protection Act, on account of the coronavirus pandemic.
   

   By way of Notice, the President of Zimbabwe issues a directive declaring a ‘state of disaster’ per Section 27(2) of the Civil Protection Act, on account of the coronavirus pandemic.

   On 2 January 2021, vice president Constantino Chiwenga officially announced that the country has initiated a 30-day total lockdown as a result of an increase in the number of COVID-19 related infections as the country’s health system is already strained. However, this was initiated without any provisions in place with regard to how people will survive. Only essential services remained operational, gatherings were limited to 30 people, movements were restrained as people needed to get a travelling pass written by a police officer to travel especially to the Central Business Districts (CBDs). In line with that declaration, the Statutory Instrument 10 of 2021, Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) National Lockdown) (N0.2) (Amendment) Order, 2020 (N0.9) was issued tightening restrictions, including areas related to business hours for supermarkets and other essential services supplying goods and services to customers. Trading hours were allowed from 0800 hours to 1500 hours and a 12-hour curfew beginning at 1800 hours and ending at 0600 hours the following day was initiated.