ZIMBABWE has published proposals for a controversial booze curfew which will force supermarkets and shops to stop selling alcohol by 7PM during the week, and by midday on Sundays.

The government also wants all imported alcoholic drinks to carry a warning about the dangers of drink driving under the draft National Alcoholic Policy championed by former Health Minister Timothy Stamps, now a special health policy adviser to President Robert Mugabe.

Shops will be forced not to sell alcohol to pregnant women and people who appear to be already drunk under the measures which the government says are aimed at stopping the “abuse of alcohol” and are in the interests of public health.

And under new proposals that will alarm the country’s football authorities, the government aims to ban advertising at football grounds or during televised matches by alcohol manufacturers – a move which raises doubts about the country’s participation in the regional COSAFA Cup which is sponsored by SAB Miller through its Castle lager brand.

Launching the draft policy, Stamps said: “The government recognises that it has a responsibility to balance the rights of adult members of the community who wish to purchase and consume alcohol in a moderate and responsible way, with its duty of care to protect the entire community, particularly those under the age of 18 and other vulnerable people, against the effects of alcohol misuse.

“This policy is the right pathway to maintaining good health. These measures are beneficial to all citizens of Zimbabwe and protect against abuse of alcohol.”

Stamps said alcohol was not only harmful to its users but its misuse was breaking up families and was a catalyst in domestic violence.

The government wants to force all foreign alcohol manufacturers to put the warning: “The operation of machinery or driving after the consumption of alcohol is not advisable,” on all alcohol containers.