Traders in Jinja city protest closure of shops

Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Traders in Jinja city have protested the move by security personnel to temporarily close shops and arcades.

Security personnel comprised of both police and UPDF on Monday afternoon closed down shops whose owners had resolved to operate normally, despite Friday’s presidential directive to temporarily close some businesses for 42 days.

The traders argue that although Museveni directed the closure of all other businesses except food markets and retail shops, they have no option but to open their businesses to earn incomes to sustain their families throughout the lockdown period.

Moses Mudanbada, a printing shop owner says that the President should clarify the directives he issued on Friday. He says that the directives have been misinterpreted by the security personnel.

Aloysius Mutebe, a furniture dealer says that directing shop operators to completely close will deprive them of their only source of livelihood and in turn push most of them into depression which could lead to death.

Suleiman Byakika who deals in electronics says that government should devise means of finalizing the process of extending financial support to covid-19 affected persons before enforcing the President’s directives.

Asuman Bukenya, another shop operator says that the traders should be left to freely conduct business to earn enough rental fees for their landlords. He says that the government has failed to compensate traders who were affected by the first lockdown last year.

Vincent Ssemaganda, the vice-chairperson of shop owners within Jinja city says that retail shop operators should be left to conduct normal transactions, so long as they are willing to observe the ministry of health standard operating procedures.

The Kiira Central acting Police Commander, Maurice Niyonzima says that some traders had turned their retail shops into bars, which prompted security operatives to close them down.

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