26 Mar 2020

The fight against COVID-19 calls for the involvement of all stakeholders, says Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration Mr Kabo Morwaeng.

 “We are not leaving anyone behind, everyone who was involved during the fight of the HIV and AIDS pandemic and the livestock disease, Contagious Bovine Pluro Pneumonia (CBPP) will also be engaged,” he said.

He was speaking during a press briefing on government preparedness in response to COVID-19.

Mr Morwaeng said Batswana were known for coming together and helping each other during times of distress.

“This is an opportunity for us to make a contribution towards building the nation,” he said.

The minister acknowledged that the pandemic had caught the nation off-guard forcing all to cooperate in dealing with resultant challenges.

On information dissemination in rural areas, Mr Morwaeng indicated that health officials through district health management teams, district officers and the traditional leadership had been engaged. 

He said the media, through their various platforms, must also play its activism role of reaching out to people with the latest information on  COVID-19.

The minister also quelled  media reports alleging government was under financial duress and therefore not coping with challenges at hand. 

“I would like to make it clear that, for the past 53 years our government was never immune to challenges that are stressful such as calamities like the COVID-19. But one way or the other, the economy under the tutelage of a responsible government was able to come up with a plan and moved forward,” he said.  

He said the country had over the years managed to sustain the economy despite facing pandemics that struck without warning. 

Minister Morwaeng also noted that one of the precautionary measures of curbing the potential spread of the virus was to avoid congestion.

He therefore called on all to consider reducing employee numbers at work places.

He said keeping essential service employees at work and releasing others must not be mistaken as retrenchment. 

“We are doing so to comply with the recommended numbers and limit chances of spreading the virus,” he said. 

   Responding to a question from one of the journalists, Mr Morwaeng said President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi was well and complying with the set precautionary measures aimed at combating COVID-19. 

“After his recent official visit to Namibia, the President, Dr Masisi went into self-isolation. He is leading by example by going into self-isolation,” he said.

ends