President Yoweri Museveni on Monday night raised and dashed the hopes of many as he maintained status quo on the nationwide lock down.
Museveni who was addressing the country for the 14th time since he first announced measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, said opening up the country will depend on everyone wearing masks in public.
According to the president, the masks will be ready in two weeks.
Many had hoped that Museveni would open up sectors of the economy as the lock down was set to end on Tuesday.
Uganda has 248 cases of COVID-19 with majority coming from truck drivers making crossborder routes.
Museveni appeared to excite majority Ugandans when he menioned that the country is opening up only to dash hopes by saying it will be tagged to masks that will be ready in tow weeks.
Comments online immediately after the speech, indicate that a section of Ugandans are worried that the Local Defence Unit (LDUs) will take advantage of interpreting the speech to unleash the darker side of them.
KEY TAKE-AWAYS FROM TONIGHT’S PRESIDENTIAL COVID-19 ADDRESS
Once the issue of universal access to standard/recommended face masks is addressed, then:
1. Shops selling general merchandize will open provided they are not in the shopping malls, shopping arcades and food markets. Shops in malls/arcades can’t open now because it is impossible to observe social distancing in shopping malls or arcades.
2. The heroic market women that have slept in the work places for all these days, will be allowed to go home and come back to work daily if they want to.
3. Public transport will resume but with strict regulations. Mini-buses, buses, taxis, tuku-tukus can operate provided they carry only a half of their normal capacity. Public transport won’t operate in border districts for another 21 days.
4. Boda bodas won’t carry passengers yet. They should continue to carry cargo as they have been doing during the time of the lock-down.
5. Bars, night-clubs, gyms, saunas, swimming pools and hair-salons, will stay closed for another 21 days since they cannot easily observe the rules of social distancing.
6. The International borders of Uganda and the airport will remain closed so that we do not import additional cases from outside.
7. Education institutions will open but only for finalists/candidate classes. There will be no first-term examinations. Social distancing is a must. Other learners will wait for now.
8. Curfew from 1900hours (Saa moja ya usiku) until 0630 hours (Saa kuminambiri na nusu za usiku), remains in place for another 21 days.
9. Food restaurants can open as long as the clients observe social-distancing and there is no air-conditioning which spreads the virus.
10. People with private cars will be allowed to drive as long as the car does not carry more than 3 people, including the driver.
11. All the other restrictions will remain in place for another 21 days.
NOTE: (a) Government is to provide free masks to all Ugandans aged six and above in two weeks’ time. They will be distributed through the LC system.
(b) The national taskforce headed by the Rt Hon Prime Minister will meet and offer detailed SOPs in relation to these directives.