Members of parliament who met to debate a six months State of Public Emergency declaration by president Mokgweetsi Masisi have been exposed to Covid -19.
In the ironic turn of events, the extraordinary parliament meeting was on Wednesday gripped by fear and confusion after the minster of Health and Wellness, Dr Lemogang Kwape dropped the bomb on the unssuspecting house that the nurse who screened them for corona virus had tested positive.
The minister said the nurse, who is deployed at a clinic designated as a quarantine area in Block 8 was waiting for her results from routine testing when she screaned the MPs.
“ We got her results at 11 PM and they came back positive,” said minister Kwape to the visibly shocked legislators.
The somber moment was broken by Leader of Opposition, Dumelang Saleshando’s suggestion that parliament should break and MPs be taken into quarantine as per the Corona Virus prevention protocol immediately.
The house however was advised by the Director of the Ministry of Health (MHO), Dr Malaki Tshipiyagae that they could finish the debates and conclude business of the day before they could go into self-isolation in their own homes.
At the end of the day President Masisi got his mandate to rule by decree for six months and MPS registered their names for quarantine and patients tracking.