President Yoweri Museveni on Friday June 18 announced an immediate total lockdown of the country, except for essential service providers, in an effort to slow the rise in COVID-19 infections.
Museveni declared that no public or private vehicles or Boda Boda carrying passengers shall be allowed to operate for the 42 days.
He also announced closure of gathering places like places of worship, markets, shopping arcades except for food markets and retail shops.
But the president’s decision to declare an immediate stop to movement of both public and private vehicles, without prior warning to allow those in far-flung areas to return to their families, has caused anger and anxiety.
Many on social media have reacted with anger and a sense of panic about how they link up with families . Others have also complained of the president’s silence on providing ordinary people with food rations to last them through the lengthy lockdown.
But Museveni said the decision was needed to reverse the speed of spread of the virus that has increased by 17 times since last week.
“The proportion of people testing positive from samples tested (Positivity Rate) has remained as high as 17%.Yet for us to control the disease effectively this number has to be less than 5%,” said the President.
Below is the graphic by the president’s office on the new lockdown measures.
