By Staff Reporter
Any Zambian who will be stopped from entering a government building on account of having not acquired a Covid-19 vaccination must sue before the Constitutional Court, says State Counsel Wynter Kabimba.
Responding to some of the government measures announced to curb Covid-19 that it will now be requirement starting tomorrow for all persons to provide evidence of vaccination before entering into government buildings, and that civil servants and public servants will have to be vaccinated to be admitted for work, working in consultation with workers unions, Kabimba urged Zambians to ignore the measures as they are unconstitutional.
“Any citizen who is going to be prevented on those grounds must challenge that before the Constitutional Court,” Kabimba told Daily Revelation. “But I hope the Attorney General and the Solicitor General will be able to advise the government before they even go very far and make themselves look foolish in the eyes of Zambians.”
Kabimba he was not speaking against vaccinations, but that constitutionally the measures announced by the government did not hold.
“They are illegal under the law. You know what is happening, it’s important the government preserves the rights of the individuals even as it tries to bring under control this Covid thing,” Kabimba said. “If you remember, when HH was in the opposition his stance was he would effect a lockdown for two weeks. He said the most effective way of managing this, which PF is not doing, is to ensure a complete lockdown for two weeks. He is now in government, instead of doing that if he is serious, he’s busy violating the rights of citizens.”
Kabimba said no individual could be forced to see a doctor nor stopped from entering a government building, saying Zambians must have free access to government facilities.
“We don’t have a system of executive powers in Zambia. Every decision taken by a minister, every decision taken by a President must be supported by law. The only time the President can use powers which are circumscribed by law, but he’s allowed to, is under the state of emergency, which must be approved by Parliament 30 days after the proclamation. So he has no executive powers,” said Kabimba.
Among the other measures announced by government, include heightened surveillance for those arriving into the country on testing and vaccination and that they will be quarantined in designated places at their own cost.
Health minister Sylvia Masebo also said people must not be allowed in markets or bus stations without masks, and that members of the public will not be allowed into other public places without masks.
“Churches to meet three times a week for only one hour each time they meet…continue to monitor Churches and religious gatherings, subject to clearance by the Health Ministry and Local authorities,” said Masebo, adding that funerals and weddings will only accommodate up to 50 people.
She said bars, casinos, restaurants and taverns, night clubs will operate from 18-20 hours for four times a week, and that the government will upscale vaccination to capture 2 million people in two months.
She said in the last 24 hours, Zambia recorded five new Covid-19 cases from 2798 tests, resulting in a positivity rate of 0.2 percent. The cumulative Covid-19 infections the county has recorded stands at 220,13 with 3667 deaths.
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