The Minister of Security Gen. Elly Tumwine has clarified that individuals who have been given stickers to drive their cars despite the ban imposed on vehicle movement across the country are not exempted from the dawn to dusk curfew.
President Yoweri Museveni on Monday decreed that starting at 7 pm to 6:30 am, no person or vehicle is supposed to move except trucks carrying cargo and food supplies, security forces and medical vehicle with emergencies in a bid to forestall the spread of the coronavirus.
However, on different media fora, many people thought that even other service vehicles that had been exempted were also free to move at night.
But while addressing the media yesterday at the Uganda Media center in Kampala, Tumwine said that those outside the above category whose work extends into the night should consider sleeping at their work places.
“Those with stickers are only allowed to move during the day; during the night its only security and health emergencies. For the media, it’s advised that if you must work at night, stay there,” Tumwine said.
The same point was made later by Works Minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, who was explaining more about the stickers that his ministry had issued.
Meanwhile, Tumwine warned Ugandans against trying to force the hand of the armed forces by disobeying their orders.
“They are called armed forces; not forces only. They carry those arms so that where it is necessary to use those arms they use them,” Tumwine said. He added that once one is given instructions by security forces, they should listen instead of arguing.
At the briefing, Tumwine was accompanied by Adolf Mwesige, the minister in charge of Defense and Veteran Affairs. Mwesige defended the presence of the UPDF on the streets saying, they are doing their solemn duty of protecting Uganda’s territorial integrity and assisting other security forces in times of a disaster.
Also in attendance was Gen Wilson Mbadi, the deputy chief of defense forces who called upon Ugandans especially in the urban centers to comply with the presidential directives on coronavirus.
Mbadi said according to reports from the field, villages have largely embraced measures such as social distancing, staying home and not using public or private vehicles among others while those in towns, there are a number of elements who are still defying the orders.
He said the security forces will stop at nothing to ensure that the presidential decrees are implemented so that COVID-19 doesn’t spread in Uganda like it has done is some other countries like Italy and Spain.
