Own Correspondent|Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has called on the government to treat with dignity Zimbabweans arriving in the country and on mandatory quarantine for Coronavirus.

Chamisa said government should not treat the returning residents as criminals. He said this after Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana said Government could not afford “posh facilities” for returnees.

“We received 65 Zimbabweans from the UK. Available place of quarantine is Belvedere Teacher’s College. They are refusing this accommodation demanding hotels. Government can’t afford. Why come from a Covid-19 hotspot during a lockdown and demand posh facilities at stretched public cost,” said Mr Mangwana on his Twitter handle.

“During this difficult time, we must treat each other with kindness and empathy. While the government must safeguard citizens, we urge the treatment of returning citizens to be with respect and dignity. We must avoid conduct that leads to stigmatisation & vitriol against fellow citizens,” said Chamisa.

“While returning citizens must be placed in mandatory quarantine, conditions of living must be decent and habitable.

“Quarantine is not punishment. We urge government to ensure adequate testing facilities and that there is fair and equal treatment of every person regardless of their status,” Chamisa said.

The sixty-five Zimbabweans returning from the United Kingdom yesterday refused compulsory quarantine at Belvedere Technical Teacher’s College citing “poor conditions”, and preferred to be checked into a hotel instead but they were kept there overnight while there is possible transfer to the University of Zimbabwe today.

According to Government officials dealing with the returnees, they knew that Zimbabwe wanted compulsory quarantine for everyone coming from Covid-19 hotspots, but they were expecting “something better”.

Some offered to meet own accommodation expenses at preferred places.

In an interview last night, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Secretary Mr Simon Masanga said alternative accommodation could only be arranged today.

This was the first time the Government had challenges with returnees on accommodation.

Over 1 000 other people have been quarantined so far.

In Matabeleland North, deportees are isolated at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School in Victoria Falls which was identified as a quarantine centre for for all returnees from Botswana, Zambia and Namibia.

The returnees are sleeping in classrooms on concrete floors and using toilets as bathing facilities.

In Matabeleland South, they are using Plumtree High School hostels in Plumtree town, while in Beitbridge suitable centres are still being sort for.