Don’t put off your masks :- Museveni

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has cautioned the general public to always wear masks when they are out of their homes saying that this would combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its infection to other people.

“People seem not to understand the value of the masks; these are not a decoration. We don’t want you to be seen with the mask hanging around your neck. Put the mask over your mouth and nose all the time as long as you are in public. Even when you are speaking, leave the mask on because if you remove and speak, you are infecting the air and also the hands you are fidgeting with while removing the mask can bring the infection,” said President Museveni.

He was speaking shortly after making an abrupt stop-over at Kitubulu on the shores of Lake Victoria, near Ssese gateway beach to observe the increasing water levels on his way to State House Entebbe for state duties.

On the issue of the increasing Victoria waters, President Museveni noted that it has reached the 1964 record levels of 13.4 metres as of today and that despite this, the country will be able to protect its dams because they have built two exit gates for the water to go through.

“In 1964, the water destroyed a lot of things but this time we shall be able to protect the dams because we have expanded our exit gates at Jinja. In 1964, there was only one exit gate at Jinja which could only release 1300 cubic metres of water per second, but now we have two gates, there is one which goes through Kiira at the Jinja side and the one which goes through the Nalubaale in the Buganda side, if you combine both of them, they can allow 3000 cubic metres of water per second to go through,” he added.

For the people near the shores and the river banks, Museveni advised them to move away from the water way before the increasing water levels destroys them and their property, as the rains were not about to stop. He reiterated that these people are the ones who invaded where the water flows and should move away before they are swallowed up.

Museveni re-emphasized the need for people to adhere to government rules of building 500 metres away from the shore or else they will bring disaster to themselves. To the politicians who are still thinking of giving out food to the people in this period, President Museveni advised them to refrain from it, saying this would prevent crowds that bring a risk of spreading the infection.

“When I stopped at Kitubulu, immediately a small rally formed and I had to run away. When people see a political leader especially the one they like, they will gather and that it is how the virus spreads,” he said.

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