Masaka village chairpersons tasked to enforce COVID-19 guidelines

Masaka, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  The Masaka District Covid-19 Taskforce has tasked village council chairpersons to ensure compliance to the presidential directives and Ministry of Health guidelines to preventing the spread of the virus.        

Herman Ssentongo the Masaka Resident Commissioner and Covid-19 response taskforce chairperson say they have observed weakness in the level of public compliance to the set safety guidelines, especially in remote areas.

Ssentongo indicates that despite the guidelines, there are errant characters in some parts of the district that are still opening up bars hence converging many people.

He explains that besides the culprits, the task force has considered holding local council chairpersons liable for the noncompliance cited in their respective areas of jurisdiction. 

Doctor Stuart Musisi, the Masaka District Health Officer has welcomed the idea. He said that besides enforcing the compliance to the set guidelines, the lower local council leadership structures can equally help in verifying the various alerts from community to the district emergence call centre.  

But Abas Lubega, the chairperson on Mukudde Cell A in Masaka municipality says they are willing to reinforce the task force as long as they are also included on the list of people that will receive mobilization facilitation. 

“When they are signing the mobilization allowances from the government, they should also include that of the village chairpersons for enabling campaign against the pandemic, ” he noted.

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