Lukwago says no to self-isolation, demands reopening of City hall

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has declined to go into self-isolation and called for the re-opening of Kampala Capital City Authority Offices at City Hall.

The Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Betty Amongi announced the closure of City Hall over the weekend after four staff tested positive for COVID-19. A number of KCCA staff have been tested for COVID-19 and others sent into isolation.

As a result, a number of offices at City Hall remained closed today and the KCCA council meeting which had earlier been scheduled was also cancelled.  Zamini Masunge, a councillor from Kawempe said that they could not hold the council meeting in the absence of the technical team especially the office of the clerk which is in charge of the administrative procedures for all KCCA meetings.

But Lukwago says the Minister should devise means for operations to continue at City Hall while minding the health of staff.

This morning, an official on the COVID-19 task force of KCCA was seen walking around with a list of people who should go into self-isolation. But Lukwago says as an Executive Committee of KCCA, they will identify staff that should continue operating such that service delivery is not affected.

Doreen Nyanjura, the KCCA Executive Committee Secretary for Finance says that the council needs to urgently convene and discuss budget allocations to the district COVID-19 task force. Nyanjura says that one billion Shillings allocated to KCCA has been used up. KCCA was given two billion Shillings to fight COVID 19 but one billion was taken to the office of the Minister for Kampala she says.

Olive Namazzi, the Executive Committee Secretary in charge of Health says this is a critical time for the Authority to deliver services to the people. She says KCCA should be out there sensitizing the public about COVID-19 and enforcing guidelines like social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks instead of closing.

She wonders if KCCA will close other public places like markets if it became unfortunate enough to register a case there.

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