The Government of Botswana has amended the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) regulations and has introduced the next step of interventions in the country’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic. Effective today (08 May 2020) trades and businesses as well as schools in Botswanacan operate subject to specified conditions. Places of religious worship are allowed to conduct services twice a week, with a maximum of 50 people allowed to attend each service. The Government has demarcated Botswana into nine (?) zones to contain the spread of the coronavirus. People are not allowed to undertake non-essential travel across these zones for the period of the State of Emergency in Botswana. A person attending the funeral of an immediate family member or a person leaving home to access their ploughing field, cattle post, ranch or farm is exempted from such travel prohibition, but travel permit has to be aquired.
The COVID zones include:
- Greater Gaborone zone – towns, villages and settlements from Dibete to Ramatlabama, including the city of Gaborone and its periphery, Lobatse as well as Kanye, Molepolole and surrounding areas.
- Greater Francistown zone – area from Ramokgwebana to Gojwane gate, stretching also to Dukwi and Mokubilo.
- Greater Palapye zone – area from Dibete to Martin’s Drift and Sefhophe gate, including the major villages of Serowe, Mahalapye and Palapye.
- Boteti zone – from Makoba to Makalamabedi
- Greater Maun zone – the whole of Ngamiland
- Chobe zone – Chobe district up to Dukwi and Zoroga gate.
- Kgalagadi zone – area from Jwaneng to the Kgalagadi North and South constituencies
