STATEMENT BY

HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU,
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
WEDNESDAY, 25TH MARCH, 2020

STATE HOUSE

COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN,

THE WORLD TODAY FACES ONE OF ITS GREATEST ADVERSARIES THAT THREATENS MANKIND. THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE. THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE, ALSO CALLED COVID-19 HAS DECIMATED LIVES ACROSS THE WORLD.

COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN,

THIS VIRUS IS MEAN, DEVASTATING AND MORBID. A FEW WEEKS AGO, IT WAS HEARD FROM A DISTANCE IN CHINA; TODAY IT IS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. TODAY, YOU AND I ARE NOT SAFE ANYMORE AND UNTIL WE COMPLY WITH WHAT THE HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE SAYING, IT MAY SPREAD QUICKLY AND ENDANGER OUR LIVES.

COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN,

ZAMBIA IS LANDLOCKED; AND THAT MEANS, WITH A CRISIS OF THIS MAGNITUDE, WE SHALL FIND OURSELVES UNDER FORCED LOCKDOWN IF ALL OUR NEIGHBOURS CLOSE THEIR BORDERS. THIS SITUATION WOULD MAKE US ECONOMICALLY VULNERABLE AND WEAKER.

IN COMING UP WITH MEASURES TO STEM THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, MY GOVERNMENT HAS DEVISED A PHASED STRATEGY THAT WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION INTERVENTIONS FOR THE LOW AND HIGH INCOME GROUPS, LOW AND HIGH DENSITY AREAS, RURAL AND URBAN AREAS. IT IS WITH THIS IN MIND THAT ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES DEALING IN GOODS AND SERVICES WILL BE KEPT RUNNING.