Arcades, Kikuubo to take time before being re-opened

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Arcades, shopping malls and the Kikuubo trading area are to open at least after a week , the minister of Kampala Hajati Minsa Kabanda has announced.

Speaking to reporters at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, Kabanda who was flanked by the Minister of ICT and National Guidance Dr Chris Baryomunsi and the state minister of Kampala Kyofatogabye Kabuye said although President Museveni lifted a ban on arcades and Kikuubo, this will only happen after these places comply with all the Standard Operating Procedures put in place to fight against Covid-19.

President Museveni on Friday eased the 42-day lockdown by allowing certain activities to resume albeit with conditions. Earlier on June 18, Museveni declared a total lockdown of the country to try and counter the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

For the last 42 days, Kampala has been a ghost city with security restricting access to all nonessential workers.

However, following the presidential announcement yesterday, some businesses had already opened this morning. But Kabanda said this should wait until Kampala Capital City Authority is satisfied that those opening meet the required conditions set by the president.

Asked whether this doesn’t run contrary to what the President said, Dr Baryomunsi said whatever the ministers are doing is the correct interpretation of the presidential directives.

Baryomunsi called upon the public to comply with all the SOPs in order to avoid Uganda slipping into a third wave of the Coronavirus. He said the reason why the government decided to partially open up the country was to have a balance between saving lives and livelihoods.

“I call upon all of us to take on these measures in good faith because they are intended to see that all of us see tomorrow. I would also want to say that, let’s do self-policing. Let’s not wait for security people to alert us to say put on the mask. Let’s know that that is a duty whether somebody is seeing you or not,” Baryomunsi said.

He also called upon the security forces not to use this opportunity to harass or extort the public in the guise of enforcing SOP compliance. He said those who will be caught doing so, will face the full wrath of the law.

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