Go all-out and close bars, councils urged

LOCAL authorities have been directed to double efforts and ensure that all bars and shebeens are closed in line with the COVID-19 preventive measures.

Copperbelt Permanent Secretary, Bright Nundwe, also noted that the sale of illicit beer commonly known as kachasu had become rampant in densely populated areas.

He cited some of the townships where Kachasu was brewed and sold as Chipulukusu, Mapalo, Twapia, Nkwazi and George townships in Ndola.

Mr Nundwe, urged all the local authorities on the Copperbelt to ensure that there was no sale of kachasu anywhere.

He said with the swelling numbers of Covid-19 positive cases, drinking illicit beer was contributing to escalating numbers of infections.

The Permanent Secretary stated that Government had not sanctioned operations of any bar or shebeens and thus anyone purporting to have been allowed to sell beer in bars should be brought to book.

Mr Nundwe said he was aware that some beer dens had sprouted out in townships while some lodges were hosting large numbers of patrons, who were partying without observing preventive measures.

He said it was important for people to adhere to the measures to curb the virus.

He advised the public to avoid over crowded places and appealed to the local authorities to apprehend anyone found to be abrogating the law.

Mr Nundwe noted that once people got drunk they cared less about the health and the welfare of people around them.