The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Security Minister Gen Elly Tumwine has announced that the nigh time curfew that was announced by President Yoweri Museveni will remain in force until June 21, 2020.
On May 19, President Yoweri Museveni announced that the curfew which runs from 7 pm to 6:30 am everyday would be in force for 21 days which ideally ended today. But Tumwine told Uganda Radio Network on a telephone interview that curfew is still on because the count starts from the latest presidential address on June 1, and that guidelines were being reviewed.
“The curfew was extended for 21 days on June 1, that’s where the count starts,” Tumwine said. This is the same position held by police. Speaking to URN, police spokesperson Fred Enanga had earlier said that all the restrictions are still on until they get contrary directives.
“All those measures are still on until cabinet directs otherwise,” Enanga said.
On June 1, President Museveni addressed the nation to reaffirm his earlier COVID-19 directives issued on May 19 especially relating to the businesses that had been allowed to re-open.
On the same day, he emphasized the resumption in the movement of public service vehicles with new standard operating procedures which included only carrying half the normal capacity of the cars and the need for face masks. Many people have been wondering whether the curfew had been lifted or not.
They had expected President Museveni to pronounce himself on the matter while officiating at the scientific heroes’ day celebrations held at State House Entebbe yesterday. But his address ended without mention of the extension or revoking of the directives.
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The difference between half capacity and full capacity for public means transport vehicles is ZERO when it comes to fighting the spread of Covid 19. Yes those in the vehicle may not contract the virus from each other, but in an event that an infected passenger is transported from one place to another, what safety is there to prevent such a person from infecting those people where he or she travelled to. Secondly government needs to intervene when it comes to the transport fare charged by these transporters. Some of them do not only double the fare from the usual one before Covid 19, but they more than triple it. That’s absolutely inhumane.