Security restricts movement of persons with homes across borders in Rakai

Rakai, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Persons owning multiple homes across Uganda and Tanzania will wait until the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, to cross the borders o either side again, according to the new security guidelines issued by authorities in Rakai district. 

Rakai Resident District Commissioner Charles Mubiru says that they have resolved to stop all cross-border non-business engagements between Ugandans and Tanzania to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 in the area. 

Mubiru,  also the Chairperson of the District Security Committee explains that their assessments have established that some of the COVID-19 cases registered in their area were among people sneaking into Tanzania on non-business engagements, including those meeting their spouses across the border. 

Mubiru indicates that despite the restrictions by the government, some people with multiple homes and partners between the two countries still find their way in and out of the country. He says that it’s upon this background that the security committee found it necessary to order residents with multiple homes to stick to one side until the situation normalizes.  

Rakai district has registered 21 cases out of 546 suspects since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March. Major Flavia Terimulungi, the Spokesperson on Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF Armoured Brigade says they also moved in to heighten their deployment on all entry points between Uganda and Tanzania to ensure total compliance with the guidelines. 

However, the new guidelines have been received by mixed feelings among border communities in Rakai district, who argue that they can ably observe the safety standards other than being disunited from their relatives across the border.

Mahaazi Luyima, a resident of Kkoza village, in Kyebisagazi parish at the border of Uganda and Tanzania indicates that they are usually attracted into Tanzania by the favourable conditions including the low cost of living compared to Uganda. He has challenged the security team to instead focus on promoting the use of preventive means in the community other than curtailing their rights of association.

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