NOEL IYOMBWA writes
GOVERNMENT must make it mandatory for people to wear face masks in public, Capital Buses proprietor, Ishmael Kankhara has said.
The business man has undertaken an exercise to sanitise media houses in a bid to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus, with the Daily Nation and Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation head office having been covered recently.
“The company decided to extend the gesture to the media house owing to the fact the journalists are front liners in informing the nation about the pandemic,” he said.
Capital Buses Limited employees led by Mr Kankhara’s son Amad Kankhara disinfected surroundings and offices.
Mr Khankara, who is also a member for the Association of Indian Community in Zambia, regretted that some people still think Covid-19 is a hoax and therefore pleaded for a change of mindset if the pandemic is to be contained effectively.
“I am pleading with Zambians to treat this pandemic with the seriousness it deserves. Lets follow the three important directives which are to mask up, wash hands regularly and to ensure social distancing” he said.
“Face masks should now be mandatory because this is very serious.”
He has called for a stop to the tendency to look at the pandemic from a racial or political lens saying Covid-19 goes beyond tribal, political and social boundaries.
“Coronavirus is not about whether you are Indian, Chinese or Zambian but it is about death” he said and called for collective responsibility at every level both in government and public in order to ensure that the virus is contained.
Mr Khankara said the time is now to put aside things that divide us and embrace those that unite us in order to fight the pandemic and restore economic stability in the country.
He said President Edgar Lungu did well to gradually re-open some economic sectors but feels people need to adhere to preventive measures even as they go about their various businesses to avoid a total economic shutdown being experienced in other countries around the world. He notes that it is important that the fight against Covid-19 is stepped up as the infection rate is surging
