Lawyer denied entry to CID HQ over vaccination card

Source: Lawyer denied entry to CID HQ over vaccination card – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY SILAS NKALA
BULAWAYO lawyer Job Sibanda has taken Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe to court after he was blocked from entering the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Harare for failing to produce a COVID-19 vaccination card.

Sibanda filed his application at the Bulawayo High Court on Friday last week citing Matanga and Kazembe as the first and second respondents, respectively.

In his founding affidavit, Sibanda said the court should declare the instruction given by Matanga or someone acting on his behalf, to deny entry to the CID headquarters of unvaccinated persons as null and void.

“On February 22, I had occasion to attend at CID headquarters along Josiah Chinamano Road, Harare, to conduct some personal business, having travelled all the way for that purpose. Outside the main entrance was a tent manned by two officers, one sanitising hands and the other recording details of those entering the building,” Sibanda submitted.

“When my turn came, the officer recording personal details and requested that I should also produce a valid COVID-19 vaccination card. I enquired from the officer the legal basis for demanding such as I am not vaccinated and do not have one. The officer was obviously not very helpful in this regard. He said he was only following instructions and referred me to Police General Headquarters for explanation.”

Sibanda said many people without COVID-19 vaccination cards were turned away on the day.

“As far as I am concerned, there is no law in Zimbabwe that permits a government official to bar members of the public from gaining access to any building in order to get services,” Sibanda submitted.

Matanga and Kazembe are yet to respond to the application.