Stefanus Nambara

NKURENKURU – People who visit Kavango West region may think there is total adherence to the state of emergency laws arising from the global coronavirus pandemic, as many alcohol outlets are closed and there is limited movement of people.
However, the Namibian police, joined by the Namibia Defence Force (NDF) who are at the forefront to ensure members of the public adheres to the regulations, said that there is still no total adherence in the region.
“Although the message was clearly conveyed in the media and on loud speakers, there are still some pockets of resistance from the public,” said the police regional commander, Commissioner Josephat Abel. 
Regulations on the state of emergency - Covid-19 No.9 of 28 March 2020 prohibit the sale of alcohol, but this seems to be ignored by some inhabitants of the region.
Police have issued fines of N$2000 each to four people who were caught selling 
alcohol.
One of them is a woman from Nkurenkuru town. 
She was selling a traditional brew despite having already previously been warned and ordered to stop prior to a fine being imposed on her last Friday.
The rest are from Katwitwi settlement and Mururani village fined on separate days.
Abel said he received information that there are still people selling alcohol at the back doors. 
In villages, some have gone as far as selling traditional alcohol from their crop fields.
However, the men and women in uniform are hard at work to ensure such people are dealt with.
The commissioner said people continue to gather in excess of 10 at funerals and for religious gatherings at churches.
“Our people must avoid, at all cost to gather in numbers of more than 10. It doesn’t make any sense, if we are feeling sympathy and 50 or 100 of us go to the funeral, where eventually people contract coronavirus,” he said.
He has also observed that some people hardly keep a safe distance between them when they queue outside shops as they wait for their turns to enter.
Abel appealed to the residents to work together during this crisis, to combat its spread and save lives.
-jmuyamba@nepc.com.na