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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kabale and Rukiga district COVID-19 taskforces are struggling to implement the President’s directives. The taskforces have failed to control burials and gatherings in bars as one of the preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, President Yoweri Museveni issued a ban on public gatherings which include burials and prayers.
However, in Kabale and Rukiga districts, most bars especially in Muhanga and Rukiga town councils have continued to operate normally. Locals from distant sub-counties have also attended burials.
In Rukiga district, efforts by the police officers to traverse the whole district have been hindered by lack of enough fuel.
On Sunday, anti-riot police dispersed over 200 mourners who had gathered to send off the late Adrine Mugyenzi, the wife of Rev Solomon Mugyenzi, the former Academic Registrar of Bishop Barham University College (BBUC) Kabale.
Police ordered that the burial be managed by a minimum of fewer than 30 people.
Darius Nandinda, Kabale Resident District Commissioner says that their efforts to implement physical distancing have been frustrated by residents who lock themselves inside bars and drink alcohol.
Nandinda says that security personnel need to improve on patrols to ensure the president’s directives are adhered to.
Henry Kisembo, the officer-in-charge of Field Force Unit at Kabale police station says they are challenged by lack of enough fuel to help them traverse all the trading centres across the district. Kisembo explains that 20 litres of fuel they receive per day is not enough to carry out patrols in all parts of the district.
Brian Ampeire, Kabale District Police Commander says that they will not look on as the public defies the directives.
However, Alineo Bandaganiire, Kashambya sub-county LCIII chairman accuses security personnel of encouraging residents to defy the directives. He explains that some police officers demand between 30,000-50,000 shillings to allow locals to continue drinking.
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In most cases people in the villages countrywide they don’t know social distance. that’s why you here some complaining on Radio stations that people in remote areas they’re still taking alcohol indoors as usual nothing can stop them taking it because there’s no security personnel. people in the villages walk anyhow because some of them they can’t understand president’s directives and some are following directives from politicians who dodges government rules. even in Kampala here some get indoors and take their malwa or beer.