NEW MEASURES ANNOUNCED BY PRESIDENT AIMED TO CURB SPIRALLING NEW INFECTIONS
(Posted 07th June 2021)
Tourist vehicles exempted from movement restrictions – for now – though travel from Category One countries has been suspended
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni last night announced sweeping measures to curb the renewed rise in Covid-19 cases across the country, as the country’s health sector faces a massive task to cope with the current wave of new infections.
Tourism has, for now, been spared from movement restrictions as have transfers to and from Entebbe International Airport even though Entebbe and Kampala are in two different districts while being part of the greater metropolitan area.
Elsewhere though is interdistrict travel now prohibited, effective 10th of June while schools and institutions of higher learning will be closed, effective today, 07th June.
These measures will remain in place for an initial 42 days, but should within a week from today no drop in case numbers take place might yet more drastic measures be used, potentially locking down the country again like it was from end March to June last year.
Also suspended were prayer meetings, political meetings apart from the sitting of parliament as well as events and weddings and funerals are again restricted to just 20 people attending.
The President also left no doubt about his resolve to tighten the lockdown, pointing at the strict observance of SOP’s, the wearing of masks, sanitizing and washing hands and keeping distance from each other.
The President caused laughter when he explained the closure of bars because in his words ‘Drunkards don’t understand SOP’s‘.
All in all did the President spell out more than 20 measures which must be followed:
1. All schools and institutions of higher learning will close for 42 days from June 7, 2021 starting 8am.
2. All teachers to fully be vaccinated before being accepted in schools.
3. Prayers in churches, mosques were suspended for 42 days. Pray from home.
4. Public and cultural gatherings suspended for 42 days except Judiciary, Executive and Legislature meetings.
5. Travel from Category A countries suspended, except for returning Ugandans. India is currently the only country in this category.
6. Agriculture activities to continue unhindered.
7. Non-agricultural activities like malls, supermarkets, construction, to continue with SOPs.
8. Factories, hotels, taxi parks to operate under strict SOPs.
9. Weddings allowed with 20 people maximum with SOPs. House parties are banned.
10. Burials, vigils should not exceed 20 mourners.
11. Weekly open-air markets, cattle auction markets suspended for 42 days.
12. All public transport between and across districts suspended for 42 days effective June 10, 2021.
13. Inter-district travel stopped for 42 days except within Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono. Exempt are cargo trucks, tourist vehicles, essential and emergency service vehicles.
14. Public transport within the same district is allowed but with SOPs.
15. Cargo trucks were allowed to carry two people.
16. Sports can go on but without spectators.
17. 30% physical presence at the office for 42 days. Appoint a compliance person.
18. Not more than three people in private vehicles including the driver. They also don’t move across districts.
19. Arcades, hardware shops, to operate under SOPs, and close at 7pm. Owners to be held liable for breach. Pharmacies to be exempted.
21. Salons, lodges, garages operate till 7pm. Bars, however, should not operate. Drunkards can’t understand SOPs.
22. Curfew stays at 9pm to 5.30am and vigorously enforced.
23. Health emergencies during curfew to be attended to by security.
24. Bodas can carry one passenger at a time and cease operation at 7pm.
