Dr Kizza Besigye, former president of FDC, has urged the government to obtain vaccines for all citizens and to have them return to their normal lives.
The former Forum for Democratic Change party president Dr Kizza Besigye has urged the government to concentrate on purchasing vaccines for all its citizens and have them return to their normal lifestyles.
Besigye made the remarks while addressing journalists in Kampala on Wednesday. He said once countrywide vaccination is done, it can allow for the lifting of the lockdown.
The former presidential candidate raised that because most businesses are non-operational, many Ugandans are left with no option but to cry out to the government for a relief package.
Besigye however, revealed that even the token of sh100,000 that was promised to the vulnerable groups has proven impossible for them to deliver.
As a result, he urged those in government to work on purchasing vaccines to allow Ugandans to return to doing their jobs to feud for themselves and their families. He said this will also enable schools to be reopened and allow learners to resume their studies.
“We have on several occasions suggested to this government ways how to handle the situation but they have paid a deaf ear,” the former presidential candidate.
“Vaccinate the teachers and let education continue, students are either way not eligible for vaccines since they are below 18 years. Let us protect essential workers whose work makes them more vulnerable. The work of the health workers requires them to be protected. Let us protect the teachers.”
Besigye in addition begged international bodies to run to Uganda’s aid noting that the country’s leaders have tremendously proven that they are not ready to fund the vaccination for all the citizens.
“We urge the international humanitarian organisations to help vaccinate our people because government has not been able to vaccinate them fully,” Dr Besigye said noting that even after two lockdowns, the government is still yet to purchase any vaccines using the country’s budget.
Besigye raised that with the lockdown in place, the numbers being vaccinated on a daily are still relatively low. He said the capacity to deal with the sick has also not changed.
The FDC initiator cited that if nothing is done, the government will continue imposing even more lockdowns.
“What will change after 42 days? People are not being vaccinated, the capacity to deal with the sick has not changed. The end of lockdown will be the start of illness and death. What it means is some kind of lockdown will continue and people will continue to become weaker and weaker. It is reckless for a country to remain on this path,” Besigye added.
“This discriminatory approach must be dealt with. The call is up to the marginalised to deal with this. The privileged are not locked down, you go on the streets and see. It is the ordinary person who faces the brunt of what these measures provide.”
