Botswana eases lockdown measures

Botswana has began to progressively lift containment measures. Since Saturday, the Botswanan people have began to gradually resume activities.

The city, which was closed for 48 days is coming back to life. For many citizens, it is necessary to show resilience because this period of inactivity has been hard.

“I run a catering business in Old Naledi, my business was doing well before COVID-19. Since COVID-19, the business has not been doing well because it has many challenges”, said business leader, Kgomotso Masepe.

For Ruben Ruwanda, a farmer ‘‘This COVID-19 had a lot of negative impact on my farm. I couldn’t go out to buy feed for the livestock.”

With the end of confinement, the government has allowed the reopening of businesses and schools as well as the resumption of public worship.Muslims who were unable to pray during Ramadan will be able to go to the mosque for Eid prayers, while respecting government health regulations.

“We are so happy that after the lockdown we have performed the prayer together, 50 people, every body registered, sanitized. We had the machine to take the temperature, we are overwhelmed, we can’t explain the feeling of opening our mosque”, Mohammed Rafiq said.

The government of Botswana has set aside more than $400 million to help absorb the economic impact on companies that had to suspend their activities.

The country, which has not been severely affected by the pandemic, has so far recorded 29 cases of COVID-19 and one death.

AFP