Botswana’s parliament to possibly go into quarantine

Botswana’s entire parliament might have to go into quarantine after finding out that all members recently came into contact with a nurse who had since tested positive for Covid-19.

According to the country’s health minister, Dr Lemogang Kwape, the country has seven new confirmed Covid-19 cases, which brings Botswana’s overall total of cases to 13.

BOTSWANA RECORDS SEVEN NEW CASES OF COVID-19

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr @Lems2 says Botswana has recorded seven new cases of #covid19 #SOEdebateBotswana pic.twitter.com/ShudnPInpD

— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) April 9, 2020

Only in Botswana can the entire parliament be put in quarantine because they might all have covid-19 🤦🏾‍♀️😩

— Base Says (@BasegoS) April 9, 2020

How dangerous is it for them to continue being there? Mma Dow raises this earlier

#SOEDebateBW

— TigerEyes (@mantshego) April 9, 2020

Among the new cases is a nurse who was reportedly working at the country’s parliament on Wednesday, attending to all staff including support staff, the vice president and the president.

This fact was allegedly revealed to all MPs during a debate on the country’s state of emergency, which Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi has proposed extending.

-34 year old man in Masunga who traveled to UK, he is now in Siviya and contact tracing is underway

-53 year old man traveled to Pretoria.

— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) April 9, 2020

Masisi would like Botswana’s state of emergency to be extended to six months and says the measure is needed because people are not complying with restrictions on movement, which were imposed just last week.

Masisi was recently cleared to exit self-isolation at home after testing negative for coronavirus. He went into a 14-day self-quarantine on March 21 after a visit to neighbouring Namibia for an inauguration ceremony, which saw him breaching a ban on all external trips by public officers imposed by his own government to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Citizens of the country who watched the live broadcast of the debate have since called for all parliamentary business to be suspended if MPs were indeed exposed to the virus. Others believe that MPs were not taking the possibility of their exposure seriously enough.

To continue would be irresponsible and disrespectful! they should all go on quarantine, the #SOEDebateBW is still in effect..at the end of the 14 day quarantine there will be 7 days left on the current one so they can convene.

Read more

A VIEW OF THE WEEK: Forget Dezemba, our politicians went on holiday long ago

— m.kamanga™ (@nkwasha) April 9, 2020

I am embarrassed by this obsession with 6 months SOE, shocked at how H.E seems to believe it is more important than coming back in 14 days, still within the current SOE, to finalize this vote, with those that have tested negative. Ao batho, go dirwang ka SOE? #SOEDebateBW

— Bonni Dintwa (@BonniBotswana) April 9, 2020

There is clearly no emergency, if we can be so casual and want committees and general assembly to meet after being exposed, clearly there is no emergency here. #SOEDebateBW

— Bonni Dintwa (@BonniBotswana) April 9, 2020

https://twitter.com/Mphoeng_M/status/1248161116703936514?s=20

Oabile Regoeng MP For Molepolole North FUCKEN SAID IT. WHAT EVERYONE IS THINKING.
WHY ARE THEY SO CALM MA BDP!

SUSPECT
SUSPICIOUS BDP!#SOEDebateBW

— Morwa Mpho🇧🇼 (@LaFifaBW) April 9, 2020

READ NEXT: North West to launch mass screenings after death of Botswana national

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