The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA has listed 59 commercial buildings that are not observing standard operating procedures for the management and control of COVID-19.
The Minister in charge of Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Betty Amongi told journalists earlier today that the city task force had inspected several commercial buildings especially arcades which were opened in July and found that several of them were not observing standard operating procedures.
Many of the arcades were opened last month after more than four months of a closure instituted to forestall the spread of coronavirus disease. Upon their reopening, they were required to put in place isolation centres, have hand washing facilities at the entrances, CCTV cameras at all exits and a team to enforce all Ministry of Health guidelines.
However, one month down the road, the city authorities have observed that the guidelines were all discarded. The non-compliant buildings which have been cited include Mini Price centre, Vienna Business centre, Boost Complex, Arrow complex, Naiga Chambers, Tropical Complex, Senna Arcade, Masaka Jubilee, SB plaza, King Fahd Plaza, Sun City Arcade, Lucky Complex, Sserwaniko Music Centre, Faiba Arcade, City Centre Complex, MM Plaza, Majestic Plaza and Namaganda Plaza.
On the same list is Freeman Foundation ventre, Energy centre, Total Business centre ,Natik Plaza, Kisekka Traders Arcade, Mogadishu Business Centre, Katonga business centre, Farmer’s Mall, Esco plastics, New Taxi Park Mall, New Container Village, Jesco Beauty centre, Jamboree, Pentagon, Atlanta Textile, Qualicel Bus Terminal, French plaza, Printers House, and Nabukeera Plaza.
Also listed is Genesis plaza, Planet plaza, Venue plaza, Fair House, Nasser printers, Elite apartments, Jenna plaza, Nasser Nkrumah plaza, Kooki towers, Namayiba plaza, Ivory plaza, Zainab Aziiza Emporium, Edmul building, Numak, Bhatia building, Tweese plaza, Tesco plaza, The Mall, Sun City plaza, Fortune plaza and Roofing building.
Amongi says they have issued notices to the concerned people and announced a seven-day ultimatum for them to comply or face closure.
When the government started the partial lifting of the lockdown, standard operating procedures were set as a means to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease. It became compulsory for every person above six years to wear a face mask whenever in public and wash hands before using public transport or entering shopping centres.
In markets, vendors were to keep a one-meter distance from each other and customers. Taxis were permitted to carry just a half of their capacity while boda bodas had to keep details of their customers and sanitize their seats before bording. However, several of these guidelines are not respected by the public.
Amongi urged compliance before hinging on a possibility for another lockdown in Kampala.
As of yesterday, Uganda had 1,750 confirmed cases of COVID 19, of these 394 were reported in Kampala. Also 15 of the 19 deaths recorded so far are from Kampala.
KCCA acting director of Public Health and Environment Dr Daniel Okello Ayen says almost every parish in Kampala has a confirmed case, yet still, the numbers are rising swiftly. Dr Okello says the public needs to be more vigilant and observe SOPs issued by government.
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