This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
On May 8, Zanzibar had registered 134 positive cases of the coronavirus. In response, the government has opted against a total lockdown, citing the significant financial burden it would place on the island nation.
According to Khamis Omar, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, a lockdown would likely double the current 31 per cent household poverty rate in Unguja and Pemba islands.
Mr. Omar explained that a survey of at least 60 per cent of households living below or just above the poverty line revealed that at least $19 million would be required for their upkeep for a lockdown period of three weeks.
He noted that this amount is almost two-thirds of the total budget for Zanzibar's Covid-19 response plan, and that the government does not know for how long the pandemic will last.
Mr. Omar also highlighted the experiences of other countries that imposed lockdowns as a strategy to curb the spread of the virus, stating that such steps should only be taken as a last resort.
He added that the government is already reeling financially from the effects of closing down its tourism industry, which has seen revenues drop from $200,000 to just $2,000 in the week following the shutdown.
Mr. Omar emphasized the need for alternative revenue sources, such as the services sector, traditional agriculture, and manufacturing, to keep the economy functioning.
