Banda Urges Bar And Night Club Owners To Be Patient

Local Government Minister Charles Banda has urged bar and night club owners to be patient as the government works towards devising measures to allow their businesses to safely reopen. 

It comes after reports over the weekend that many bars and night clubs in Lusaka have resumed service in spite of government directives issued to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

On Friday, the Bar and Night Clubs Association told business-owners to reopen, arguing that it was unfair of the government to insist that bars remain closed when many other facilities, including restaurants, casinos, cinemas and gyms had been allowed to reopen. The Association further accused the government of favouring foreign-owned businesses over locally managed bars and nightclubs. 

Addressing these concerns, Dr Banda said it was not true that the government had allowed foreign-owned bars and clubs to reopen at the expense of local businesspeople. 

The minister dismissed such accusations as cheap politics and urged bars and night clubs to remain closed for the time being.

He added that recommendations for reopening bars had been submitted to President Lungu, who will address the nation this week. He said he was confident the recommendations would go a long way towards normalising business in Zambia.