The President Of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has on Monday March, 30, 2020 evening announced more deterrent measures against the spread of COVID-19 in Uganda after three more people tested positive for coronavirus.
This has been Mr Museveni’s sixth address since the outbreak of the virus was reported in Uganda.
Below are key highlights from the president’s directives..
Due to disobedience of Government Guidelines, it is better to err on the side of caution than making a mistake and as such following additional measures are announced:
1) Prohibit People to People movement including Private cars from April 01, 2020 till April 14th, 2020
2) shopping malls and arcades are suspended effective April 1st, 2020.
3) All non-food stores/shops should be closed effective April 1st, 2020.
Food stores and shops selling agricultural inputs, pharmaceuticals will remain open.
Consider, online shopping and home deliveries for groceries
4) Supermarkets should remain open with clear SOPs on minimizing infections within the supermarket.
5) Established food markets in Kampala and other towns should continue to be open but with the social distancing taken into serious consideration (4meteres).
6) Sellers/Factory workers should however organize accommodation of staff at premises of work for 14 days… In other words stay close to your place of work.
If factories can’t implement this, they should suspend production for 14 days.
7) Salons, lodges will be closed for 14 days effective April 1st, 2020
8) Construction firms that can’t abide with the accommodation facilities should be shut down for 14 days.
9) Essential services are: medical, banking, security, cleaning, garbage collection, fire brigade, KCCA staff, URA, télécommunications, UNRA, funeral services, utilities others, the prime minister will make a further communication.
10) Cargo transportation by train, aeroplanes, lorries etc should continue but with only 3 persons supervised by Minister of works and transportation
11) Gatherings of more than 5 people prohibited down from prior guidelines of 10.
12) Except for cargo planes, lorries, pickups, from March 31st, 2020 at 19:00, there will be a curfew for all Ugandans.
13) RDC will give permission for emergency medical situations like childbirth etc.
14) Government vehicles will be pooled at the district offices for use by the Health Officers.
15) À fund in UDB will be set to accelerate import substitution and export promotion.
16) Government will discuss with Banks, utilities on credit obligations by Ugandans during this period.
17) Government Employees should stay home except UPDF, UPF, Utilities, Banks, and even then SOPs will be shared.
18) Government will distribute food (maize flour, beans, powder milk, salt, sugar) to the less advantaged communities after close identification
Opportunistic politicians distributing food will be arrested as they pose a health risk to the community and charged with attempted murder.
19) Stop trying to take people to hospital, you may in the process of doing good be spreading the virus to the community
20) Contributions received: USD150,000 from Elemyu (sp) from Nigeria and 2 jeeps from the Chinese in Mbale.
21) let’s not lose people on account of indiscipliné; not washing hands, congregating in numbers, touching the soft parts of the face with unclean hands
Remember Isaiah 26: 20
