The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has Wednesday, banned public gatherings in Harare due to a cholera outbreak, which has since been declared a national disaster.
The ban puts in doubt the planned Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) 19th-anniversary celebrations authorised by the law enforcement agents two days ago.
“The government of Zimbabwe has declared the cholera outbreak in Harare a state of emergency, meaning that it is also a security threat to human security," national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said Wednesday in a statement.
"The Zimbabwe Republic Police wishes to inform members of the public that in light of the declaration of the state of emergency, the police in Harare will not allow any public gatherings.”
The ZRP appealed to members of the public to take heed of the warning and co-operate, saying it would help in alleviating the continuous spread of cholera.
On September 10, the ZRP authorised MDC 19th anniversary celebrations to be held at Gwanzura Stadium in the capital.
The Zimbabwean government on Tuesday declared the cholera outbreak a national disaster and ordered the temporary closure of a primary school in Harare.
Declaring the state of emergency, health and childcare minister Obadiah Moyo said government wanted to contain the spread.
Cholera has claimed more than 20 lives and according to the health ministry, at least 2,300 cases have been reported to date.
Moyo also ordered the suspension of lessons at Glen View 5 Primary School, where two pupils succumbed to cholera, saying lessons would resume once the Harare City Council restored water supplies at the learning institution. At least 20 pupils from the school were hospitalised.
- African News Agency (ANA)
