Zomba City Council opts not to close bars and clubs

 

By Duncan Mlanjira

While Lilongwe City Council extended social gathering measures by issuing a temporary ban on all drinking joints with effective from Wednesday, April 8, Zomba City Council has opted not to close the bars and clubs but instead operators to strictly observe all relevant preventive measures within their premises.

A communique from the City’s Mayor Benson Bulla and Chief Executive Officer Charles Thombozi, just urges the bar operators to observe the preventive measures one way of containing the rapid spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-9) pandemic as directed by the Ministry of Health.

Such measures, Zomba Council stresses, include providing hand washing buckets and disinfectants within the premises of the bars and to strictly courage the customers to continually wash their hands at intervals whilst during their patronage.

The bars and clubs are also being asked to encourage customers to be drinking mostly outside the bar or clubs buildings — as a form of controlling congestion inside in observance of the social distancing directive.

The operators are also asked to provide protective wear to all staff at the bar premises wuch as waiters and bartenders, whose nature of work involves closer contact with customers.

Organizing shows is totally discouraged as this might attract bigger gathering and the operators should restrict customers from getting closer to each other such as dancing closely.

“Encourage customers to embrace electronic transactions so as to minimize hard cash exchanges and observe opening and closing time as per the requirements of their licenses.

“Take also note that Council officers will be monitoring each and every bar or club to make sure they are in compliance and failure to adhere to these measures, the Council has the mandate to close their business and be opened again after a heavy fine,” says the statement issued on Tuesday, April 7.

But Lilongwe City Council extended the social gathering measures by suspending services on bottle stores, pubs, night and sports clubs, including their services of gyms.

The other suspensions include street processions, wedding receptions, bridal showers and send offs, birthday parties and any other social gatherings or public events.

“The Council is making a strong appeal to all owners and operators of such businesses to adhere to this ban until a time We are safe to operate as normal,” said a statement from the Council’s Chief Executive Officer John Chome.

“The Council will work with the Police to ensure that the ban is respected [and] requests residents to call on 0884 565 457 or 0993 388 979 to report any violations of this temporary ban.”