High risk Mbale never got gov’t masks, even RDC wonders why

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Government masks are yet to arrive in Mbale, despite the district being one of the Covid-19 hotspots in the country because of its proximity to neighboring Kenya.

Residents in this district have faulted government for neglecting them given the fact that the region delivered the country’s first covid19 fatality in July.

Despite the high risk, residents in Mbale city are questioning why the government initiative to distribute free masks is yet to reach them since the exercise kicked off about six months ago.

The government had set out to distribute face masks to all Ugandans aged six and above as a preventive measure against coronavirus disease.

The distribution started from the border districts in June, before extending to other parts of the country but Mbale is yet to receive its consignment.

Ahmed Sebutinde, a truck driver in Mbale City says that government Promised to give all citizens face masks to curb the spread of the Covid19 but they kept on waiting in vain.

He said that anyone who puts on government face masks in Mbale City is probably not a native of the area and that only school going children.

Ismail Wowoyo, another resident says that government has taken them for granted by promising things that they don’t deliver. He said that they promised to give every Ugandan citizen a mask and they failed to deliver and then they promised to give radios to help learners for home school which have also failed to reach them.

Muzamiru Basu, who is also a truck driver operating on Naboa road and Badiru Sagaya wonder if government would really deliver on the promise of masks if they failed to deliver the food relief they promised to the people earlier during the lock down.

Sulaiman Ogajjo Baraza, the Mbale District Resident Commissioner who also doubles as the District Task Force Chairperson told Uganda Radio Network that he also doesn’t know why the government is yet to deliver the government masks.

He however, called upon residents of Mbale to be calm as they continue to wait for the masks. “People should be calm; we shall deliver to them the masks as they arrive” Ogajjo noted.

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