While lifting the lockdown on a section of activities, President Yoweri Museveni, announced that public transport will resume with a stringent 50 per cent passengers.
President Yoweri Museveni announced Friday that public transport will resume with a strict 50 per cent passenger requirement while lifting the lockdown on a section of activities.
The president who stressed that the new directives effecting from August 02 will also see Boda bodas resume operations but carrying only one passenger.
Private vehicles will be allowed only a maximum of three people. Cargo truck drivers are allowed to move with only two people on board.
“Partial opening up will see an increased number of infections in the first week since everyone will be coming out after the lockdown but this would later reduce. It is therefore good to ensure observance of SOPs in the partial lockdown. Based on scientists’ advice, I now revise my directives,” Museveni said.
“Therefore, curfew is maintained at 7 pm and all persons except security and those cleared to move at night should be in their homes. Public Transport will open with 50% passenger capacity.”
”Food markets to remain open and conferences and seminars are still barred. Private vehicles can move with a maximum of three people. Airport to stay open. Cargo truck drivers allowed to move with only two people on board.”
On schools, he said these will remain closed until learners and their teachers are fully vaccinated.
“If you don’t observe that and you think you are clever you may get problems and also cause us problems. If these measures are taken, we may avoid the third wave. Maybe we will have vaccinated and got the cure that we are testing.”
Relatively, he said boda-bodas are allowed to operate up to 6 pm, with only one passenger, malls, arcades and business centres are allowed to reopen conditionally, burials and wedding ceremonies are still regulated to only 20 people in addition to all the outdoor activities which he allowed to reopen provided they comply to the SOPs.
“Kikuubo will reopen with kiosks and roadside vending not allowed so as to decongest pathways. Bars remain closed and security should arrest and charge owners who breach this directive. Performing artists and their concerts are still closed but they can perform virtually,” Museveni said.
For the previous 42 days, the country has been under lockdown to contain the rising cases of the Covid-19 more so in districts of Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso.
Speaking about the decision, Museveni said this was done to deter the population from massive deaths.
He said when the pandemic started, the government was focused on ensuring that the health workers are not overwhelmed by the surge in cases. Going further, the president noted that the directives have helped since there has been a reduction in daily deaths and admission of critical patients.
Meanwhile, the president bragged that earlier intervention from the government helped minimise the rapid surge and massive infections across the country.
He said whereas Uganda too has had so many deaths and infections of the Covid-19, it has only been hit by the second and first wave.
“In Uganda, we are talking about a second wave but in other countries it is the third or fourth wave and people had obeyed strict observation to the SOPs, Uganda would be better now. We would not have gone into the second wave,” the president added.
He, however, raised that he planned to reopen the country fully but scientists warned him that this would lead to a rapid surge in the cases notably about 500 cases on a daily.
“Experts on the Covid-19 advisory committee urged Mr Museveni not to fully reopen, cautioning that this would lead to a full-blown pandemic, spiking infections by 500 fresh infections daily with a weekly average of about 2,000 new cases- ‘‘taking the country directly to the third wave.’’
‘‘The other options were not opening up. Here the country would have 30 infections daily averaging 246 infections weekly. This measure has negative impacts on the economy and people,’’ Museveni raised.
