By Shongedzai Mugwagwa

Zimbabwe national airline, Air Zimbabwe has pledged to rescue Zimbabwean traders stranded in Tanzania after Dar es Salaam placed them under quarantine for the next 21 days at a local hotel.

Tanzania closed all its borders for non-citizens on the fear of the Covid-19 scourge.

A video circulating on social media, shows scores of stranded Zimbabwean cross-border traders in Tanzania where they had gone for shopping. The Tanzanian authorities have reportedly asked the traders to pay for their stay during the quarantine.

Despite Air Zimbabwe’s announcement that it had grounded all its regional and domestic flights with effect from 26 March 2020, the national airline has announced that it would send a plane to Dar es Salam to assist the stranded traders.

“All regional and domestic flights have been suspended with effect from today, March 26, 2020 until further notice. However, the last flight to Dar es Salam (DAR) shall operate on March 28, 2020 to assist returning residents,” reads the press statement released by Air Zimbabwe.

Countries around the world have put in place stern restrictions and closed down their borders in an effort to minimise the trans-border transmission of the global pandemic which has killed over 21 000 people and counting in the world to date.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa earlier restricted citizens from travelling outside the country as well as unnecessary inter-city travels in a bid to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zimbabwe has so far recorded three positive COVID-19 cases and one death. To note is that, all the cases recorded in the country have been imported from the United Kingdom, United States of America and Dubai.