A decade of hope starts to fade for Serere people as government is yet to deliver promised ferry. Government in 2009 promised to provide a ferry on Lake Kyoga to ease water transport and help boost business among Teso, Busoga and Lango sub-regions.
By David Oduut
Residents of Serere district have faulted the government for failing to deliver a ferry once promised to link the district with the other regions.
Government in 2009 promised to provide a ferry on Lake Kyoga to ease water transport and help boost business among Teso, Busoga and Lango sub-regions.
The ferry if provided would link landing sites including Bukungu in Kamuli, Kagwara in Soroti, Bugondo in Serere and Okile in Kaberamaido as well as Muntu in Amolatar, Lwampanga in Lira and Namasale in Nakasongola.
In 2016 while campaigning in Teso, President Museveni again made mention of the same but until now the ferry has not yet been delivered.
Speaking to this blog in an interview, residents said the lack of a ferry has made it difficult for people in Serere to conduct business with the districts across the lake.
Mr. Julius Amedi a resident of Osamito village in Labor Sub County accused the government of making empty promises adding that businessmen risk their lives every day with small boats while plying the lake.
“Government has delayed to fulfill its pledge of putting a ferry on the lake as promised, now it appears the government is simply lying to us,” Mr Amedi said.
Currently many people rely on small canoes which have killed several in the past but still remain the only way of transport across the lake. Businessmen who avoid the risk of drowning on the lake travel by road up to over 200 kilometers to get to Busoga instead of only 20 kilometers by water.
Serere businessmen envy crossing to the districts of Buikwe and Kamuli to buy cattle and silverfish as well as produce business. While those in Busoga also want Cassava, maize, and millet from Teso sub-region.
Mr. Moses Atwau a resident of Opunoi village is disappointed with the government after it kept them waiting for over 10 years. He said he cheated death in 2013 after the boat he was traveling in capsized; luckily he and five others were able to swim to safety.
“But I lost my capital for cattle trade in the process as I did not know where the money fell,” Mr. Atwau said.
Mr. Okiria John Moses the general secretary Local council one Opunoi village in Labor Sub County said local authorities recently banned the use of small boats and canoes on the lack. This he said has affected the movement of traders from either side of the lake.
“There is only one boat that is allowed to cross the lake and it is currently overwhelmed with the number of passengers. So as we speak many people especially women who deal in silverfish have grounded their business because they cannot cross the lake to Kamuli and Buikwe districts where they buy them from,” Mr. Okiria said.
He urged government to expedite the process of availing them with a ferry so as to ease transportation on the lake.
Joseph Opit Okojo the Local Council five chairperson Serere said officials from the ministry of water and transport at the end of last year visited Bugondo and Kagwara landing sites to allegedly carry out an assessment of where to put a dock but have since not given feedback.
“As of now, I do not have any information because by last three months when I communicated to Kampala they told me that they were already on procurement. Certainly as a leader and businessman, the government needs to respond now because there will be no explanation it will be able to give people (now that the political season is setting in).
Police sniffer dog in action in Bukedea. PHOTO BY DAVID ODUUT
There was drama in Kanyanga village; Malera Sub County in Bukedea district this morning after a police sniffer dog arrested a man a day after his own bull was also stolen
Edison Okwalinga yesterday sought services of a police sniffer dog to trace for people who stole his bull on Sunday night and his neighbor Francis Ecirat was arrested in the process.
However this morning his brother Samson Okwalinga also hired the police dog after his cow and bull also went missing last night.
To the disbelief of the family and neighbors, the dog went and took hold of Okwalinga, making him the prime suspect in the theft of two animals.
According to Steven Okwaput the LC1 Chairman Kanyanga, Okwalinga could have stolen the animals of his brother as revenge for his lost bull.
Okwaput says that villagers wanted to lynch him but police prevailed over them and took him to Malera police post where he together with Ecirat who stole his bull on Sunday are currently detained.
The LC1 however wondered how the stolen animals disapered without trace in a short period of time adding that those arrested could be part of a bigger racket stealing livestock in Bukedea district.
President Yoweri Museveni has implored Ugandans to remain safe by continuing to observe the health guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health during this coronavirus pandemic.
In this year’s Easter message to Ugandans, the President thanked them for responding well and listening to the guidelines, which were enumerated.
“This years observance of Easter comes at a time when the world faces the COVID19 challenge. I am aware that people are not going to celebrate Easter in the usual way. This has been occasioned by this pandemic. I wish to thank all Ugandans for responding well and listening to the guidelines which we enumerated,” he said in a letter to all countrymen, countrywomen and the Bazzukulu today.
“The story of Jesus’ miraculous triumph over death provides a remarkable example of sacrifice, hope and joy. The First Lady, Maama Janet, joins me in wishing you a joyous Easter. Easter is a time to rejoice and unite with all Christians around the world in proclaiming that Christ is risen,” the President said in his message.
The President called on Ugandans to stay home and stay safe.
“I implore you to remain safe by continuing to observe the health guidelines. It is not about convenience; it is about survival. I wish you a happy Easter and may the Peace of our Resurrected Lord fill your hearts during this season. STAY HOME – STAY SAFE,” he said.
Adeng Mika the LC1 chairman is said to have beaten up his vice chairperson Micheal Opolot after finding him violating presidential directives in the fight against the spread of Coronavirus. He reportedly got him chairing a drinking spree with 17 people at the home of a one Susan Aina. The incident took place at around 10 O’clock Wednesday.
By David Oduut
There was shock in Akero village, Bukedea Sub County in Bukedea district on Wednesday after the area local council one chairperson allegedly assaulted his deputy for spearheading a large group of people to drink alcohol in the village.
Adeng Mika the LC1 chairman is said to have beaten up his vice chairperson Micheal Opolot after finding him chairing a drinking spree with 17 people at the home of a one Susan Aina. The incident took place at around 10 O’clock Wednesday morning.
Locals told this newspaper that the village chairperson was tipped off by one his informers that his vice chairperson was involved with others to drink alcohol.
“The vice chairperson together with at least 16 others had gone to help an old woman to hoist the roof onto her grass thatched house so in return she gave them ajon (a local brew in Teso) as appreciation,” Mr. John Bosco Ojojo a resident told Oduut Daily News Dose.
He said the chairperson lashed his deputy together with the owner of the brew after others he was got drinking with took off.
“He is a local leader who is quick in unleashing the whip so others raised their heels as soon as they saw him arrive,” Mr. Ojojo narrated.
According the LC one chairperson, he got Opolot gathered with a large number of people to drink alcohol which was contrary to presidential directives on social distancing as the country and the world battle the spread of Corona virus disease.
He told this newspaper that he got angered after those who were drinking with Opolot took off upon seeing him while his vice remained at the pot still sucking on the tube without any bother.
He however denied assaulting him saying that he only offered him a word of caution.
“I only cautioned him, the claims on beating my vice is just propelled by those who want to politicize the matter,” Mr. Adeng said before adding that local leaders should be the first to observe measures on preventing the spread of covid 19 and as well follow directives issued by government on the same.
However Micheal Opolot told Mama Bukedea radio that his superior assaulted him using his own tire-made shoe commonly known as lugabire. He says the LC1 boss was faulting him of settling another assault case regarding two teenage boys in the village.
Bodaboda riders wait for business last year before Coronavirus pandemic struck forcing a lock down which has barred their movement
“Due to the lockdown, most of these Bodaboda boys do not have a side income but also have a high a petite for women. You realize that during the current restriction on their movement many of them are finding a challenge to support their families,” Mr Opolot said.
By David Oduut
There was shock in Atutur Sub County in Kumi district after a boda boda rider reportedly locked up his home and fled leaving his two wives and children stranded without shelter and food.
The rider identified as Simon Omeja a resident of Kapokin village who operates at a stage in Atutur trading center is said to have bolted doors at his home on Wednesday and asked his women and children to leave before he also left to unknown destination.
His two women; Ms Amuria Jesca Florence has one child while the other Ms Adie Jennifer has three children. There are also three other children left by his first wife who fled recently after family disagreements.
The Kapokin village chairman Mr. Martin Opolot said the women and children are currently languishing in Atutur trading center without any help.
“I have raised the matter to the police family and child protection unit at Kumi central police station to help resolve this matter as these people are clearly suffering,” Mr. Opolot said.
The LC1 attributed the matter to the curfew which has restricted Bodaboda riders from earning income to support their families.
“Due to the lockdown, most of these Bodaboda boys do not have a side income but also have a high a petite for women. You realize that during the current restriction on their movement many of them are finding a challenge to support their families,” Mr Opolot said.
He appealed to government to also support Bodaboda riders and the juwakalis (other hand to mouth earners) in rural parts of the country with relief food to help feed their families during the ongoing curfew.
Jesca Florence Amuria one of the women when contacted by this blog said their husband started by accusing them of destroying his underwear. But she said that the underlying issue could be the difficulty he was facing in raising the money to feed the family.
Ms Amuria, a woman who crossed from another botched marriage said their husband has been relying on his motorcycle to buy family food.
“I think it is the curfew bearing down on him now because it is only that bajaj motorcycle that has been his source of income,” Ms Amuria narrated.
Meanwhile by press time the police in Atutur had managed to track down Mr. Omeja and they were set to hand him over to the family and child protection unit at Kumi central police station.
President Museveni while addressing the nation on Wednesday directed that no boda-bodas are to be seen on the roads after 2 p.m.
This came as an additional measure to restrict the movement of Bodaboda riders after government also recently restricted motorcycles to operate while only delivering cargo and not to carry passengers.
This has seen Bodaboda business especially in rural areas shrink due to limited or general lack of customers.
Residents of Kangole Sub County in Bukedea district have reported a fresh invasion of desert locust in the sub county. The fast moving insects arrived at the sub county yesterday with locals describing it as having an enormous appetite for trees especially Ecomai.
This comes at a time when Uganda and the rest of the world put attention to combating the spread of Corona virus disease.
Speaking to this blog on phone from Kangole, Micheal Ocan the area Local council three chairperson says swarms of locusts have attacked the villages of Isekure, Kenya, Omosoga, Koitangor and Osanyuk.
He however says that locals are engaged in running battles with it while shouting and banging noisy vessels to scare it away.
Kangole sub county was among the areas invaded by locusts in Uganda in February after it entered through Western Kenya.
Government quickly spent over 20 billion shillings to tackle it with critics complaining of the manner in which such amount was spent without clear accountability.
A member of Anita foundation giving out soap in Kwarikwar sub county recently PHOTO BY DAVID ODUUT
By David Oduut
The poor attitude towards washing hands in Bukedea district poses the biggest risk towards the spread of Coronavirus, Daily Monitor has learnt.
Bukedea district recently reported two suspected cases of Corona virus, luckily they all tested negative, but this raised anxiety among people with the authorities fearing of a potential case being found in the district if stipulated measures are not observed.
Regular hand washing with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is among the key measures recommended by the ministry of health to prevent the spread of Covid 19. Others include; observing social distancing, avoiding shaking hands, avoiding touching soft parts of the face, Staying home and self-isolating from others in the household if one feels unwell.
However, this blogger in the past few days moved around hundreds of homes in the district and found little evidence of people observing regular hand washing.
“I do not see any reason for washing hands all the time even when I stay home with only my family members,” Ms Stella Alupo a resident of Bududa village in Aligoi sub county answered when asked why she did not have a hand washing facility anywhere at her compound.
According to Samuel Opolot the local council two chairperson Kapang village, the little adherence to hand washing was as a result of lack of information among locals.
“Most people in this village take Coronavirus like just any other international story they hear on the radio and that is why they are reluctant to take adhere to measures like washing hands,” Mr. Opolot said.
He sadly added that, “there is little medical information available on the ground, and you know people in villages rely on evidence to respond to emergencies.”
However Steven Ikodet the District Health Officer Bukedea who also doubles as the district Corona Virus focal point person said that much as people have been regularly pumped with enough information on how to prevent the spread of Corona virus, many did not take it seriously as they think that the disease is still far.
“By nature people are not used to washing hands that is why they are still stubborn but there has been information available everywhere; phone ringtones, public address systems, radio talk shows,literally everywhere but it is just the attitude of the people,” Mr. Ikodet said.
He admitted that the disease would ravage the country once it spread to the villages because of reluctance and lack of discipline by locals to follow guidelines.
“But we are not giving up on this one,” he reinforced.
Social distancing
This blog has also learnt that locals in Bukedea hardly observe social distancing. During the day, majority of people in the district continue to mix freely at various trading centers flouting the presidential directive. These as people continue to sit together in groups to drink alcohol while sharing bottles and tubes. Debates about Coronavirus also attract fairly large gatherings at rural trading centers.
In the densely populated sub counties of Kwarikwar, Aligoi and Kongunga and at the trading centers of Kwarikwar, Mukongoro-Kotia, Nalugai, Kongatuny and others in the sub counties of Kabarwa, Kolir, Malera, Kachumbala town council, among many others spread across the district, small crowds of people at verandahs sit together even with no respiratory hygiene.
“I am afraid that because most people are not observing regular hand washing, this disease can easily spread like wild fire in this village as locals continue to freely mix without observing social distance,” Mr Fred Bushikoma the local council two chairperson for Nalugai parish in Kongunga town council said.
He added that because police patrols known crowding places like bars, locals have created makeshift drinking places at hideouts.
“Some of the bars have shifted deep in the bushes, is although funny that some of their colleagues who are police officers tip them once an operation is held,” Mr Bushikoma said.
Measures:
Bukedea district recently reported two suspected cases of Corona virus, luckily they all tested negative, but this raised anxiety among people with the authorities fearing of a potential case being found in the district if measures are not observed.
Among the measures the district adopted in an emergency meeting and to be mandatorily observed by locals included; regular washing of hands, observing social distancing, and avoiding shaking hands with others among others. These were in line with recommendations made by the ministry of health and world health organization towards fighting the spread of Covid 19.
“Those who defy it are to be arrested and imprisoned for defying presidential directives,” Mr Moses Olemukan said adding that all the directives given by president Museveni were also highly to be implemented in the district.
To address the challenge of hand washing, Bukedea woman MP Anita Among gave hundreds of hand washing tap-jerricans to convergence points like shops, health centers, clinics, trading centers among others.
The woman MP through her foundation together with Dott Services also distributed bars of soap to every household in the district to encourage people to regularly wash hands.
“This hand washing facilities and soap is going to help encourage people to wash hands as we tackle the spread of Covid 19,” Mr Okello Isaac Honorat the spokesperson Anita foundation told daily monitor before adding that the move is far from politics.
“Anita foundation thinks first of the health of people of Bukedea that is why the foundation Ambulance is also on standby to help with any emergencies that arise including those of Covid 19,” Mr Okello said.
On the other hand police led by the DPC Ezra Tugume have been holding arrests on those who defy the guidelines set by the government. At least 35 people were arrested in bars last week in Bukedea town council alone.
Mr. Robert Omongot the Kabarwa sub county Local Council Three chairperson however said that security operatives have to beef up security in the villages to enforce the government directives on Coronavirus.
“In the villages, there is reluctance to enforce the implementation of the measures outlined by the president because there is little security man power,” Mr. Omongot said adding that UPDF should deploy soldiers in villages.
Prresident Yoweri Kaguta Museveni speaking during the intercession for our nation over the coronavirus pandemic. This was at the National Prayers organised at State House in Entebbe on 21st March 2020.
Uganda has confirmed 11 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 44. This was announced by President Yoweri Museveni yesterday night as he clarified on some of the measures he had announced earlier to slow the spread of COVID-19. The President said he was happy most of the cases were coming from quarantine and not from the community. He said the big number of the new cases were of children from Watoto Church Choir. He emphasized the new measures of stemming the spread of the virus such as the 7pm-6:30am curfew and banning the use of private vehicles for movement. Public transport had earlier been banned while lodges, salons and hardware shops will not be operating. Shopping malls and arcades will also not be operating for 14 days. Cargo transporters will be cleared to move as well as service operators.
I am here, to again address you on the issue of the corona-virus. I first, addressed you on this issue on the 18th of March, 2020. Before I addressed you, together with the experts, we had discussed, in depth, the science of this virus. In that study, we had discovered the following characteristics of this virus.
1. It spreads through inhalation if somebody with the virus coughs (okukororra) or sneezes (okwetsyamura) near you ─ within four metres from you. It will, then, infect you through the inhalation of the rwooya (vapour) of the sick person that would have coughed or sneezed.
2. The second mode of spreading is when the infected person pollutes surfaces such as tables, door handles, etc. If you touch the polluted surface and, then, touch yourself in the soft parts of the body: eyes, nose or mouth, you also get infected. The virus cannot go through the normal, intact skin of a human being. It only goes through the soft parts mentioned above.
3. Although the healthy people afflicted may survive, it can kill alot of people that already have other medical conditions such as Aids, blood-pressure, pregnancy, diabetes, sickle-cells, cancer, the elderly, etc. In China, its kill rate was 4.05%. In Italy its now 11.03% and Spain, its kill rate is now 8.4%. It even kills the young people in some circumstances, like the young doctor, Li Wenliang, of Wuhan in China, who first identified this problem. He was only 33 years old.
Given its spread methods ─ sneezing and coughing by an inconsiderate and careless person in a cluster of people bunched together as well as an individual’s own carelessness of touching the soft parts of your body (the eyes, the nose and the mouth) without washing your hands or sanitizing them first, after careful study, we decided that this virus will spread fastest if it gets into large concentrations of people, some of whom may be behaving inconsiderately or carelessly as stated above. We, therefore, adopted the strategy of dispersing any concentration that may provide fuel to this virus.
In my address of the 18th of March, 2020, I put out 13 actions that dealt with this problem, in part, as well as other associated matters. The 13 measures were:
(1) Close all the Educational Institutions which accounted for 15 million young Ugandans;
(2) Suspend communal prayers in Mosques, Churches or in Stadia and other open air venues;
(3) Stop all public political rallies, cultural gatherings or conferences;
(4) Banned Ugandans from moving to or through category one (I) countries that had had a large number of corona cases by that time;
(5) We allowed returning Ugandans provided they underwent mandatory quarantine, at their cost, for 14 days at a venue identified by the Ministry of Health;
(6) We allowed the non-agricultural gathering points to continue but with SOPs(Standard Operating Procedures) put out by the Ministry of Health; and these gathering points were: factories, hotels, large plantations, markets, taxi-parks, etc.;
(7) We discouraged the hexagonal, extravagant Ugandan-style weddings; if in a hurry, we encouraged the couples to go for the scientific weddings by the actual stakeholders, accompanied by a few people;
(8) Burials could not be postponed, but it should be for a few people ─ the concerned homestead;
(9) With the 33 million farmers, according to the 2014 census, there was no problem because they are dispersed in their farms, plantations, etc.; the only issues to deal with here were the monthly or weekly cattle auction markets (ebikomera); and obutare (food markets); these were suspended;
(10) At that time, we thought that we could continue with the public transport systems of buses, mini-buses, taxis, boda-bodas, etc., provided they were given SOPs;
(11) The discos, dances, bars, sports, music shows, cinemas and concerts were all suspended;
(12) Number 12 was hygiene and enlightened (not kikafiri behavior ) behaviours of not coughing or sneezing in public, no spitting, washing with soap and water or using sanitizers, regularly disinfecting surfaces such as tables, door handles, etc. and not touching your eyes, nose or mouth with contaminated and unwashed hands; and
(13) Ended with nutrition to strengthen the body defence system.
We quickly, however, learnt that some of the actors were not obeying these measures and that, for instance, the returnees from abroad, from the high risk countries, were escaping from the quarantine even when it was mandatory. The ones in self-quarantine were also escaping, e.g. the Chinese that were arrested on the Congo boarder, in Zombo or the returnee from Kisumu that is the father of the Iganga baby that turned up positive that went into hiding. These gaps could cause us serious problems.
These gaps were undermining the strategy of denying the virus the fuel that it could ignite and sustain its expansion by ensuring that there is no match-box and there is no dry grass ─ no virus and no concentrated masses. Therefore, on the 25th of March, 2020, on the 41st Anniversary of the battle of Rugaando, I announced two new measures:
1. Stopped all passengers coming into Uganda by air, land or water; this affected in-coming planes, buses, taxis or boats;
2. Also prohibited from entry were the pedestrians ─ people walking on foot from the neighbouring countries.
In all these measures, we were careful to clearly state that cargo planes and cargo vehicles, within Uganda and between Uganda and the outside, should continue with only the crews for the air-crafts and 3 persons per cargo vehicle.
Then, on the 21st of March, 2020, we announced additional measures as follows:
All public passenger transport vehicles are stopped and those were: taxis, coasters, buses, passenger trains, tuk-tuks (tri-cycles) and bodabodas;
Secondly, in order to scale down the numbers of the populations in the markets, we announced that only food sellers should remain in the markets; the non-food sellers should suspend their activities.
However, private vehicles could continue but with only 3 people maximum per vehicle. However, ambulances, army vehicles, garbage collection vehicles, etc., would continue.
Since that time, we have been monitoring the situation. It was good we took all these measures. However, there are still windows through which the virus can continue to spread. As of today, the 30th of March, 2020, 31 Ugandans and 2 Chinese have been confirmed as being positive with the virus.
Almost all of them are imported cases by Ugandans returning from mainly Dubai (UAE), Europe, the USA and Afghanistan. Only 3 are the ones that received it from the importers. These are: the wife and daughter of the Masaka man and the baby from Iganga whose father had returned from Kisumu in Kenya. Out of the 33, the number of eight (8) were intercepted at Entebbe, in the quarantine or, even, at the airport, like the case number one, who was detected by the temperature monitor and another 7 that were first identified by the temperature monitoring system. This means that 14 out of the 33 had already entered the ekibuga (city, town), the lujja (compound) and some had even entered omuunju ─ munyuumba (inside the house) since we did not detect them at the Eireembo (the main entrance) or they escaped from the Eishaazi ─ the holding ground ─ by escaping from the quarantine. How many other Ugandans did they interact closely with to infect them? That is what we need to discover and soonest. It is good that those who start feeling the symptoms report themselves, like the case from Hoima did. However, this disease has two characteristics that make the work of fighting it tedious and quite challenging and need maximum vigilance.
One characteristic is that some of the infected people may not feel sick and may not even know that they are infected. Yet, they will continue spreading the disease, of course, through the carelessness of the general population of, for instance, polluting surfaces and touching oneself in the soft parts of one’s body: the eyes, the nose and the mouth; and sitting very close to one another even if the infected person is not coughing. After further careful analysis, we have come to the conclusion that to be on the safe side, it is better we err on the side of caution than to wait for a possible situation like of some countries where a 1,000 people are dying per day from this disease.
The second characteristic of this virus is that those that are infected, even when they survive, they take long in the hospital. In China, one case took 2 months. This has caused the filling up of all the hospital places even in the countries with advanced medical systems, until a situation where the medical authorities have to decide on who should be allowed to die and who should not.
Therefore, with these cases that had entered in the house, we should not wait for that situation. Incidentally, we now have under quarantine, a total of 839 persons. Even those that are alleged to have escaped from the quarantine, have all come back. How many people had they interacted with and how careless are they with the sitting close to one another and with the carelessly touching their soft parts? We, therefore, think that there is less risk in taking the risk of the bitter medicine of maximum restrictions for a limited time than gambling by assuming that pollution was limited when we are not absolutely sure. Since we started this campaign of sensitization, if everybody listened by not coughing and sneezing near other people, by not sitting too close to one another when the infected person has got no symptoms and by not carelessly touching oneself in the soft parts, the cases that entered into the house would not have spread the disease. The question, however, is: “Did all our people listen?”
That is why it is better not to take any risk by being complacent and assuming that everybody took heed when many may have not taken heed. That is why we have decided to take additional measures as follows:
1. Measure number one is to prohibit all people to people movement by everybody including those using their private vehicles, bodabodas, tuk-tuks, etc. Why? Two reasons: (i) some private car owners have turned their cars into taxis, transporting the two people we had permitted, assuming that they would be members of one’s family, when in fact they were passengers being charged the exorbitant fare of shillings 50,000/- from Kampala to Jinja. Hence, the problem we were trying to cure of allowing the mixing of people from different sources was not being addressed. Instead, it was taking new forms. The people with private cars were now the new public transporters without licences and facilitating the dangerous mixing in the process. Secondly, even more importantly, even if the private car owners had been disciplined and only moved around with only the 2 members of their families, still that movement would be dangerous because we do not know who has the virus now and who does not, given the penetration of the imported cases into the society, short-lived though it may have been. The ban on privately owned passenger vehicles will take effect from 2200 hours (Ten O’clock ─ Shaaha inna ez’ekiro), today, the 30th of March, 2020. I would have given the public time to adjust but on more scientific study, it was found that this would be a wrong policy. Why? A longer time would give people time to try and go to the villages. In so doing, they may transfer the sickness. We, would, then, not be curing anything. This freezing of movement will last 14 days from the 1st of April, 2020. This time it is not Fool’s Day; it is wise-person’s Day.
2. The second category of concentrations are the shopping malls, arcades, hardware shops, which gather alot of people to sell and buy non-food items. These are suspended for 14 days starting with the 1st of April, 2020.
3. All the non-food shops (stores) should also close. Only food stores, stores selling agricultural products, veterinary products, detergents and pharmaceuticals should remain open. The Ministry of Health should work out SOPs for those stores. Many people should not be allowed to congregate there and form lines to buy. Home deliveries should, instead, be encouraged.
4. The Super-markets should remain open but with clear SOPs that should restrict numbers that enter and leave the site at a given time and the handling of trolleys within the super-markets. Alot of people can be infected by handling the unsterilized trolleys within the super-markets.
5. The established Food Markets in Kampala and the other towns should continue to be open. However, two precautions must be observed. One, the distance of four metres to the front, to the left, to the right and to the rear ─ between seller and buyer and also seller and seller must be observed in all the markets. Secondly, the sellers must not go home during the 14 days. They must arrange to stay nearby for that duration. That movement between workplace to home and back, is part of the problem. How are the people you left at home and how do you move to work if there is no public transport? It is that mixing that we want to freeze ─ between home, enroute and workplace. Be in only one place for 14 days and we see what is happening.
6. Saloons, Lodges and garages should also be shut for 14 days from the 1st of April, 2020.
7. Like the farms, we would like the factories to keep producing because that is the life-blood of the country. However, the danger is in the workers going home and coming back. It is that daily movement that must be frozen. Let the factory owners arrange for the crucial employees to camp around the factory area for the 14 days. If they cannot do that, let them suspend production for 14 days.
8. Construction sites should continue if they can be able to encamptheir workers for 14 days. Otherwise, they should suspend construction for the 14 days.
9. The essential services are: the medical, agriculture and veterinary, telecommunication, door-to-door delivery, financial institutions, all media, Private Security companies, cleaning services, garbage collection, fire-brigade, fuel stations, water departments and some KCCA staff should continue to operate.
URA should also not close business on account of not paying taxes in these 14 days. These employers should, however, see whether they can encamp some staff near the workplace for the 14 days, which is the preferred way, or else get a special exemption from the RDC with the concurrence of the District Medical Officer.
10. Cargo transport by train, plane, lorry, pick-up, tuku-tukus, bodaboda and bicycle, within Uganda and between Uganda and the outside, must continue but only with minimum numbers, technically needed as follows: Cargo ─ Air-craft ─ only the crew; Lorry ─ not more than 3 persons i.e. driver, tonne-boy plus one, etc., as will be directed by the Ministry of Transport, working with the National Task Force on the Corona virus.
11. Gatherings of more than 5 persons are hereby prohibited.
12. Except for cargo planes, lorries, pick-ups and trains, starting with the 31st of March, 2020, at 1900 hours (Saa Moja ya Usiku), there will be a curfew throughout the whole of Uganda.
All other movements should stop. Let people stay in-doors in their homes except for the cargo-transporters. The exemption of cargo transporters does not apply to the bodabodas, tukutukus or bicycles in the curfew hours. Those should only operate during daylight hours.
13. In order to deal with some unavoidable health issues like mothers in child birth or very sick people, permission can be sought from the RDC to use private transport to take such a person to hospital. Additionally, government vehicles that do not belong to UPDF, Police, Prisons or UWA, will be pooled and deployed at the District Health Offices, including the divisions of Kampala, with their drivers, staying in tented compounds, ready to help in those health emergencies. Those vehicles will be under the command of the District Medical Officer.
14. On account of this pandemic, some sectors of the economy are suffering, such as the tourism industry, the entertainment industry, the transport industry, etc. However, as I said earlier, new opportunities are emerging in this misfortune. You have seen how the demand for sanitizers, face masks, bicycles, etc., has stimulated new industrial opportunities. Working with the IMF and the World Bank, we shall set up a fund in UDB to accelerate industrialization through import-substitution and export promotion. You have seen how dangerous it is for Africa to excessively depend on imports from outside. This is the time to wake-up.
15. We are going to discuss with Banks, electricity companies and water companies in connection with the loans and bills, many people have with these units. It is not correct to disconnect water or electricity on account of non-payment during this time of shutdown or to seize properties on account of the non-payment of loans.
16. Government workers should also stay at home for the 14 days, except for the Army, the Police, the Health workers, the Electricity, Water and Telephone workers. Even there, however, SOPs should be worked out for the soldiers, etc., that do not stay in the barracks. This problem of not staying near the workplace is something I have never supported. At one time, I wanted to shift and stay in Lubiri when it was still a barracks. The Army leaders, that time, pacified me by turning both Nakasero and Entebbe into barracks, including taking over Nsamizi Hill. People who do not stay in barracks, should either stay away for the duration of the shut down or camp in the barracks. The families of the soldiers and policemen should also be controlled moving in and out of the barracks should be suspended and so should the visitors. Otherwise, we can have a major outbreak in the barracks. The vehicles of the Army, Police, ambulances utilities’ vehicles, Prisons, UWA, etc., will continue to move on orders of the competent authorities.
The Government anti-Corona-virus actions of stopping public transport and other measures have put the drivers and other people out of work. Besides, many of them live hand to mouth ─ the daily bread. Without those activities, especially in the towns, such people may not be able to buy food. The Government, after properly identifying these people will distribute food to them in the form of akahuunga (maize flour), beans, powder milk, sugar, salt, etc. In the meantime, I direct the Police to arrest the opportunistic and irresponsible politicians who try to distribute food for cheap popularity. Those are very dangerous to the health of the people. When you try to distribute food or money in such a situation, people gather around you. Many people can be infected in that process. You will, therefore, have caused the sickness or death of those people. Anybody involved in that effort will be arrested and charged with attempted murder. Today, Mr. Elumelu sent me US$150,000. I will use it to buy, may be, three (3) four-wheel drive vehicles to use, by the Ministry of Health to use in this effort. Those trying to take patients to hospitals, must also stop because they spread the virus in the process. If they have money, let them contribute it to the Task Force to use in a disciplined and safe way. In Mbale, the Chinese donated to me two four-wheel drive Jeeps. I have donated these to the Task Force of the anti-corona virus.
However, the crucial point is the stopping of the epidemic. I do not want us to lose millions of our vulnerable people to this wholly avoidable epidemic just on account of indiscipline. What is the indiscipline?
Coughing or sneezing where there are other people; not washing or sanitizing your hands regularly; touching yourself in the soft parts of the body with unwashed hands, the soft parts being the eyes, the nose and the mouth; and congregating in numbers when science is telling us to avoid this wholly avoidable danger, disperse and do not congregate.
The idea, a Sheikh sent to me the verse from Isaiah, Chapter 26: Verse 20. It says: “Go home my people and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while until the lord’s anger has passed”.
The presidency has adopted stringent measures to keep the head of state and members of his immediate family safe from the deadly coronavirus pandemic, sources have told Sunday Monitor. State House has isolated all staff whose jobs can get them in proximity with President Museveni or other close aides who are in regular contact with the head of state.
“There is almost nonstop checking of temperature and other tests and staffers taken into isolation are barred from any physical contacts with anyone from the outside, including their own immediate family,” a source at State House told Sunday Monitor in confidence because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Mr Don Wanyama, the senior principal press secretary, said the President has scaled down physical meetings and only conducts necessary ones such as Cabinet sessions.
“There is general observation of all necessary precautions around the President to keep him and those around him safe,” Mr Wanyama said.
This newspaper understands those isolated from contact with the public are mainly members of the President’s security detail and core staffers such as housekeepers.
These include those in State House Nakasero and Entebbe.
“They had to be screened thoroughly and some asked to work from home,” a source said, adding that the strict adherence to health watch also affects members of the first family and their aides.
The isolated staff are accommodated at State House, Nakasero, where temporary tents have been erected in the gardens for them.
Other staff from departments such as protocol and diplomacy that sit in offices such as at Parliament, are not isolated.
Sources say Mr Museveni limits contacts with people and maintains social distance so much that while flying to Karamoja on Thursday, he only took to the chopper with his bodyguard. The rest of his staff had to travel by other means, unlike in the past when they joined in the air travel.
The President tweeted a picture of himself shortly before taking off for official duties, urging the public to continue behaving cautiously, maintain social distance, wash hands as many times, “and those sneezing please keep away from the public.”
Mr Wanyama said: “The President is practicing what he is preaching. He has always observed a high degree of hygiene. You know he washes his hands regularly. He has told you about donating his right hand to the public and keeping the left to himself. Never clapping.”
Regarding the Cabinet, the President has also taken tough measures. Two female ministers whose husbands recently travelled abroad and did not go into isolation, Sunday Monitor has learnt, were directed by the President to stay away from Cabinet meetings. The same directive went to a male minister, whose son had also just returned from abroad.
To reduce the size of Cabinet, the sources say, the President has kept away all ministers of State, and on some occasions some Cabinet ministers who are deemed not so critical to the issues being discussed are also not invited to meetings.
Cabinet has been sitting virtually every day during this crisis and a number of Cabinet sub-committees are constantly meeting.
Those who attend meetings are screened for symptoms and their body temperatures taken. In four national addresses in a space of six days, President Museveni announced several measures to combat the spread of the virus, culminating in the partial lockdown as public transport of any form was banned.
President Museveni’s vigilance against the global coronavirus pandemic could be further heightened with the confirmation on Friday that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had tested positive for the virus.
In a tweet, Mr Johnson said: “Over the last 24 hours, I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus.”
The British political leader becomes the most high-profile personality to contract the virus that has also affected the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, and left his mother Queen Elizabeth in self-isolation because she had had contact with Mr Johnson on March 11.
Last weekend, Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel put herself under quarantine after her physician, with whom she had been in contact, tested positive for the virus.
Not taking anything to chance, President Museveni has ordered all his aides tested after every few hours and vehicles, equipment and offices they use “must be disinfected as many times as possible per day,” sources said.
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