The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luweero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Voters in the NRM primaries held today continued to defy the Standard Operating Procedures which were set by the Ministry of Health to Control the Spread of COVID-19.
The Standard Procedures include maintaining a social distance of at least two metres between persons, using hand sanitizers, washing hands with soap more frequently and wearing of facemasks while in any public space among others.
But as NRM supporters went to the polls to vote for flag bearers for the district seat, none of the voters kept a distance, hand sanitisers, wore a mask of even washed hands. For example, at Sikanusu polling station, in Wobulenzi town council, crowds were gathered in one place with no fear or sign of precaution about the possible dangers of this to their lives.
One of the voters Sharitah Nakalema says that they also ignored the guidelines because they did not find any provision at the polling centres.
Polling stations in the area did not have any hand washing facility in place. Instead, they had police constables manning security who, however, never restricted entry basing on SOPs as fully required. At Wobulenzi Kisaawe Polling station, it was only the electoral officials who were observed wearing facemasks.
After polling, Uganda Radio Network caught up with some of the voters and asked why they didn’t observe the SOPs. In reaction they Henry Kabuye, Harriet Nalwadda, and Hadijah Nannyonga said that if there is no one enforcing them, they can do nothing.
But the security guards said their brief was to protect election officials. The latest update by the Ministry of Health shows that the contagion has so far claimed 48 lives.
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