MPs want curfew time adjusted

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has observed a need to adjust the night time curfew time which currently starts at 7:00 pm to ensure that Ugandans are not caught on the wrong side of the law.

The night time curfew has been running for almost two months, as part of the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus disease. It however became hard to maintain after the government eased restrictions and allowed private cars to return on the roads.

On the first day of the return of private vehicles, the police impounded hundreds of vehicles at different roadblocks after the drivers failed to beat the set curfew time.

During the Wednesday plenary session, MPs Henry Maurice Kibalya, Franca Judith Akello and Gaffa Mbwatekamwa asked the president to pardon all the people who were arrested saying that they did not deliberately fault the directives.

Kibalya told parliament that the curfew directive has not only landed private car owners in trouble but also many Ugandans who have since the lockdown been severely beaten and others killed by law enforcers for failing to respect the set curfew time.

He was supported by Franca Akello, the Agago Woman MP who said that many of her constituents have fallen victim.

Kasambya County MP Gaffa Mbwatekamwa said that there is need for curfew time to be extended as the country moves towards easing the lockdown occasioned by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease. He also says that the directive by President Yoweri Museveni to allow movement of private cars has created traffic jam making it difficult for people to respect the 7 O’clock curfew.

The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga also noted that she watched on TV, a number of people getting arrested over the curfew and says that unless the government plans to reduce working hours, many Ugandans will continue to be affected.

She said police needs to be considerate and that the President needs to adjust the curfew.

Kadaga directed the Parliament taskforce on COVID-19 to look into the matter and make recommendations.

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