ZAMBIA – The Disaster Management Council of Ministers in Zambia has directed that all traditional ceremonies must be suspended to curb the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement issued by Information and Broadcasting Minister Dora Siliya, the council of ministers resolved that schools should reopen on Monday but traditional ceremonies must be suspended.

She stated that the super spreaders of the pandemic were bars, kitchen parties, weddings, traditional ceremonies and church gatherings among others and that they should be restricted.

“The council of Ministers directed that all traditional ceremonies must be suspended to curb the spread of COVID-19. To this effect, all relevant institutions have been directed to enforce the suspension accordingly,” she stated.

Ms Siliya stated that the council directed that enforcement of existing guidelines, protocols and procedures must be tightened at ports of entry and strategic locations to ensure compliance with health guidelines.

Recently, Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people set February 27, 2021 as date for the Nc’wala traditional ceremony.

The Paramount Chief stated that the ceremony was to be held with strict adherence to COVID-19 preventive guidelines.

This was contained in a statement which was issued by Nc’wala ceremony organising committee secretary general Adamson Sakala.