Bars and Night Clubs Owners Association of Zambia has described the partial reopening of bars and night club by President Edgar Lungu as a milestone for its members.
Association General Secretary Edmond Lifwekelo told Money FM News in an interview that this is what the association has been looking forward to because bars and night club owners have not had any source of income for the past 5 months.
Mr. Lifwekelo expressed gratitude to the Head of State for listening to the cries of the association.
“We welcome the announcement by the Republican President on the partial reopening of bars and night clubs. To us this is a milestone because half a loaf is better than nothing. This is what we have been looking for, for the past 5 months because we haven’t had any income at all.”
“We are very grateful that the president has listened to us, and as a parent he has shown that he really cares,” Mr. Lifwekelo said.
He assured President Lungu of the association’s total support towards the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
“At the same time, I think this is a challenge to our association, the onus is on us now to prove to the government that we can be able to do this thing because this is what we have been saying, he has given us a chance right now and we are equal to the task. We can just assure the President that we will not let him down. We shall fight this pandemic together,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lifwekelo appealed to bars and night club owners to operate within the hours and days which the President has directed, to avoid the risk of being closed again.
“We appeal to our members, let us adhere to what the president has directed. Let us operate within the hours and days which the President has directed.”
As an association, we are not going to protect anyone who will be found wanting because we are not going to risk one or two individuals to have our businesses closed again,” he warned.
During the official opening of the 5th Session of the 12th National Assembly this morning, President Edgar Lungu announced the partial re-opening of bars and night clubs in the country from Fridays to Sundays with immediate effect.
He said the outlets shall operate from 18:00 hours to 23:00 hours on a pilot basis with serious caution that all public health guidelines are strictly adhered to, adding that failure to comply with the Public health regulations will leave him with no option but to close the entities.