The Kampala Lord mayor, Erias Lukwago,has protested an order from the minister for Kampala Betty Amongi to send all KCCA staff on mandatory self quarantine.
His protest comes days after Minister Amongi announced the mandatory self quarantine for KCCA after four staff members tested positive for covid19 last week.
Lukwago said before the minister had come up with such decision,there are many things that she would have put into consideration regarding the affairs of the city.
“So if we are all going into self isolation, the minister for Kampala, the state minister for Kampala, the Lord mayor and others.the question is who will run the institution? Who will be in charge of the affairs of KCCA?” he quarried.
Lukwago added that :”For now we have declined the request of the minister to go into self isolation for those valid reasons and I want members of the public and everyone else to appreciate our concerns and position and take it in good faith.”
While addressing the media in Kampala, Lukwago claimed that closure of all offices at KCCA will frustrate businesses in the city including the general public who would need help from the relevant officers.
“She directed that the council should be called off but there are very urgent matters we must attend to.there is a crisis that we need to address during this time,” he said.
Lukwago said there should have been a plan to observe the special operating procedures in post lock down period in KCCA as the institution so that businesses are not affected.
“And our minister for public health had worked out a plan which we passed in cabinet on Friday (last week) to see how we are going to operate smoothly,” he said.
Lukwago however agreed that some staff should go for the self isolation but not all of them as it has been directed by the minister.
“So some staff are going to stay. We are going to remain with a selected few who are going to help us keep moving but not all of them. Just imagine if you are. saying every staff goes into self isolation. Will you remain with an empty city house?” he asked.