Gov’t rejects demands to lift curfew

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  |  Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has said that the curfew time will be maintained despite calls by Members of Parliament to have it lifted.

Rugunda was on Tuesday speaking during the plenary after Members of Parliament called for the curfew to be lifted to enable Muslims to pray and fast freely during the period of Ramadan.  

The government imposed a curfew in March last year as a measure to curb COVID-19. Rugunda told MPs that information from the Ministry of Health and Scientists indicate that the threat of Covid- 19 is still high.  

He says that projections indicate that Uganda should not relax on COVID-19 because the number of positive cases reported has unfortunately started to increase, especially in urban areas, border districts and trading centres.   

However, Rugunda said that President Museveni will in the coming days address the Nation on the matter. 

The Minister of State for Primary Health Care, Joyce Moriku Kaducu said that the fact that a new variate from the United Kingdom and South Africa has been discovered further justifies the decision to maintain the curfew. Kaducu also says that if 60% of the population is vaccinated, the curfew can be lifted. 

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga said that the government needs to come with better reasons for not lifting the curfew. 

Abdullatif Ssebagala Sengendo the Kawempe North MP says that curfew has become a money-making venture for the Police. He says that although curfew is in place, people are operating normally. 

The Minister for Internal Affairs Jeje Odongo said that police has recalled a message they had sent out to Muslims that they will be excused past curfew hours.

Maurice Kibalya the Bugabula South MP says that the traffic jam in Kampala ends at close to midnight, but curfew still exists at 9:00 pm and this is not in the interest of Ugandans.

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