Gaborone, Botswana - 9 April 2020: Botswana’s parliamentarians were shocked this morning when the Minister of Health and Wellness announced to them that they will all be quarantined in Gaborone. This was after it emerged that one of the nurses providing screening services at parliament tested positive to COVID-19. According to the Minister, the results were received at 11pm last night. As a result the Director of Public Health decided that everybody who was in parliament yesterday and today including himself will be quarantined at their current place of residence in Gaborone. Others affected include cabinet, the media, health personnel and parliamentary staff who attended the 2 days of the emergency session. The Director of Health Services derives his power from the Public Health Act.

The laboratory results showed that the country has 7 new confirmed COVID-19 cases resulting in 13 cumulative cases including 1 death. Two of the 7 are said to have no evidence of outside travel, indicating local transmission. The quarantine order means that His Excellency President Masisi will undergo another 14 days of quarantine less than a week after emerging from another one. The emergency parliamentary session was specifically called to deliberate on the President’s request to declare a State of Emergency for 6 months to help address the COVID-19 situation.

This is a clear indication of the rule of law and that all are equal before the law.