Don’t vote politicians who derail COVID-19 fight – PSFU

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) has called on politicians to take politics out of the Covid-19 pandemic and get serious about fighting it, if they are to prove their worth of being leaders.

PSFU executive director Gideon Badagawa is particularly angered that the politicians especially during campaigns completely disregard the fact that there is a pandemic that has brought the economy to its knees. Badagawa was announcing a partnership between PSFU and nine motorcycle taxi or boda-boda companies in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The campaign dubbed “ Tugobe corona, wear a mask”, urges both the public and passengers in particular, as well as the cyclists on the importance of the standard operating procedures -SOPs- including washing hands, sanitizing and keeping distance whenever possible.

The boda-boda industry, particularly transportation of passengers was among the last ones allowed to resume operations with the government taking long to believe they are safe. However, most of the SOPs given as a condition for the cyclists to resume were abandoned in the first days especially the recording of the passenger details, limit on the number of passengers and the 6.00 pm curfew.

The campaign focuses on sensitizing and creating awareness among Ugandans to share information on the benefits of these measures especially wearing of masks.

The PSFU chairman Elly Karuhanga noted that while business including bodaboda were allowed to resume, it will take long for small and medium enterprises to recover. However, the bodaboda operators are not the only part of the community that has abandoned or relaxed in compliance with the measures, but even corporate people and politicians.

Badagawa expressed worry that this is going to increase the COVID-19 prevalence in Uganda and the fight will be longer than it should have been, leading to a prolonged slowdown in the economy. He said Ugandans must take note of the leaders that are disregarding the seriousness of the disease especially in the coming general elections and tell them so through the vote.

He noted that many people pleaded with the government to relax the lockdown promising to adhere to the standard operating procedures but immediately abandoned the promise. He says containing the pandemic requires not only government efforts but the effort of all Ugandans.

******

URN