Albertina Nakale
Deputy police chief Oscar Embubulu say they are in a preparatory stage with all the 14 regional commanders to see how best they can plan in an event of a national lockdown over the Covid-19 outbreak. Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula yesterday announced that Namibia has now 16 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. Last week, police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga wrote to all regional commanders requesting them to identify suitable sites for lockdown checkpoints between regions countrywide. Ndeitunga said in anticipation of the lockdown of the entire country likely to be announced in due course, regional police commanders are directed to put contingency plans in place on how they would effectively lockdown their respective regions from others or per districts. The police commanders were requested to have channelled their contingency plans to Ndeitunga’s office not later than 10h00 last Friday. In this regard, Embubulu said to ask on the responses from the regional police commanders regarding their contingency plans is premature, as they are still busy planning. “We are at the stage of planning. We are still in the infancy stage of preparation,” Embubulu said, while assuring the public that once such plans are in place, the nation would be informed accordingly. Briefing the nation yesterday from the Covid-19 communication centre, Commissioner Christoph Nakanyala said since the lockdown, 98 people have been fined for selling alcohol, 45 for public gathering and 15 people fined for going against prohibited travelling. He also said the lockdown regulation of self-isolation remains a challenge.
“Its not the duty of force personnel to be everywhere in Namibia. We should understand that coronavirus is a threat to all of us, not only to men and women in uniforms. They are your daughters and sons. We should not deliberately go out there and see how you will be manhandled. It is a duty of all us to take care of ourselves and not expose yourself to danger,” he cautioned.
He said everyone is at war with an invisible enemy. Hence, he called on all Namibians to stay home, wash their hands and adhere to social distancing. He also raised the issue of illegal border crossings into Namibia, saying 10 people, who cited medical reasons, were denied entry into the country thus far.
During the lockdown period, the police announced that between 21-27 March there were 22 cases reported of housebreaking and theft, while around 28 March to 4 April, such cases stood at 12.
For domestic violence, the police recorded a total of 44 cases between 21-27 March, and 39 cases around 28 March to 4 April in Khomas region alone. The police recorded about 15 cases of rape between 21-27 March, while around 28 March to 4 April, a total of eight cases of the same nature were recorded.
-anakale@nepc.com.na