President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will be returning to our Television sets and Radios for a comprehensive update on the country’s fight against covid-19 which has ravaged many countries leaving their economies on bended knees.
In his last Covid-19 address to Ugandans on 1st this month, president Museveni allowed public transport to resume under strict guidelines and put a continued ban on those in boarder districts, he also put the same ban boda boda only to carry cargo for more 21 days as the curfew also remains in place until further notice.
In today’s address, the president will be giving an update on the opening of educational institutions which went into hibernation when he announced the first measures on 18th March 2020, Museveni had suggested government gives out at least two television sets per village or one radio set per household which caused mixed reactions.
Many Ugandans wait to see whether the president will allow those who operate in arcades, saloonists, among other businesses to resume work. The president’s speech comes at the backdrop of hiking numbers of Covid-19 cases currently standing at 770 causing anxiety among Ugandans as health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng and Makerere scientists hinted on a need for another four months lockdown.
In what sounds so weird in this 21st century, a man in Jinja in avideo making rounds on social media defecated in posho meant for his family during this lockdown that the president keeps extending every other day.
The man whose names are not yet identified is a resident of Makenke in Mafubira sub-county lost his cool and defecated in the posho after a family with his wife. the video was recorded at Mpumudde police station in Jinja municipality yesterday Sunday 25th May
There has been recent reports of increased domestic violence in communities where by married people are battering each other because of being too close to themselves for longer hours during the nationwide lockdown.
While addressing the country in his 14th televised address, President Museveni has announced that his government will provide free face masks to all Ugandans above 6 years in two weeks time and this is when the lockdown will be effective and public transport will be open.
According to president Museveni the free masks will be delivered to Ugandans in the local council system like government did while giving out free mosquito nets.
President Museveni has also allowed public transport to resume under strict measures and extended the night curfew for more 21 days but boda bodas will still be limited to carrying cargo only.
Details will follow shortly……..
By Prof Oweyegha Afunaduula
During his 13th Televised Speech on Covid-19, the president announced a new measure in addition to the one’s he earlier announced and this was the mandatory wearing of face masks to whoever was going to the public. On hearing this, police announced that every Ugandan found in public not wearing a face mask will be arrested.
The disease might end up pushing many Ugandans below the poverty line far more than has been the case over the last two decades Reason?
The requirement that every Ugandan puts on a mask against Covid 19, which is a good idea. What is impoverishing is that the recommended high quality masks are costing between 15,000/- and 20,000/- each.
Few can afford these masks, yet masks of poorer quality cannot effectively protect anyone. One alternative is to keep poor Ugandans more or less in prisons called homes without allowing them to move until a cure or vaccine for Covid 19 is found.
Another alternative is to treat Covid 19 like Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS so that instead of giving Ugandans free medicines, which are not there yet, Government gives us free masks of the recommended type. Why not?
Billions of shillings have been collected locally or nationally to fight Covid 19. Many more millions of dollars have been got from external sources including the 1 trillion few days ago from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is a big resource pool we now have.
Besides, Parliament approved vast amounts of money for various institutions, including itself to fight Covid 19.
With correct thinking, given that we are not spending any money on medicines and vaccines against Covid 19, the only obvious direct attack on the disease that government can spend money on in service of Ugandans is the masks way because it has the capacity to provide free mosquito nets to Ugandans, so masks couldn’t be a big issue.
Many people can afford soap and water to fight Covid 19 but not those expensive masks that the president recommended. Indeed any more external assistance to Uganda in respect of Covid 19 must focus on joining hands with Government to avail those recommended masks to Ugandans. This is critical if Government is to ensure that the country is not under Covid 19 quarantine well into the future. What do you think?
Prof Oweyegha Afunaduula is a retired Makerere University lecturer, an environmentalist and a social commentator.
If you have a story or opinion to be published, send it to editorial@ultimatenews.co.ug
By Paul Ssenabulya
As Journalists in Uganda join the rest of the world to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day celebrated on 3rd May every year since 1993 after being proclaimed by the UN general assembly on recommendation by UNESCO.
For years the Uganda police and other security agencies have been at the forefront of brutalizing journalists despite complaints from the journalists themselves and human rights bodies. Just last year in November scribes protested against police brutality and on their way to the police headquarters were brutalized and others arrested. They agreed not to cover police press briefings but the blackout didn’t last for days when press conferences were always full house with members of the fourth estate.
Given the booming journalist number of journalist groups in the country forexample Human Rights Network for Journalists Uganda (HRNJ-U), Uganda Journalist Association (UJA), Uganda Journalist Union, Uganda Editors’ Guild, Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) among others, the plight of journalists is expected to be at high strides but it’s the opposite in Uganda as members of the fourth Estate are subjected to exploitation, little or no pay at all, brutality and all sorts of mistreatment at work.
The fourth Estate has always been depicted as a group of well off individuals in society but in actual sense they are the most vulnerable to the extent that some work for daily bread (paid per story) others working for many years without pay. This is where i develop my argument that journalists do a great work in society to speak for the voiceless but can’t speak for themselves.
The World Press Freedom day comes shortly after a trending topic initiated by a one Sheila Gashumba ignited a topic of how her former work station NTV one of the giants in the country were paying her UGX50,000 per show which has sparked mixed reactions from netizens and members of the public, among these is Mukono Municipality legislator who said Gashumba took the mantle to battle with her former boss and give courage for journalists to speak up.
The fate of journalists is partly attributed to the fact that 80% of the media houses in Uganda are owned or co-owned by politicians who turn journalists as political crusaders to push their agendas hence killing their right to freedom of expression, fairness and independence since they can’t stick to their core ethics to serve in favor of their bosses.
This has not only ended at work stations but even in their professional umbrellas which push different agendas and forgetting the plight of journalists to agitate for good salaries, better working conditions, employment contracts or atleast appointment letters among other challenges that journalists face. Many journalists survive of envelopes they get in the field, this drives them to do unbalanced and biased stories.
The media industry in Uganda is marred with mediocres and masqueraders who have no journalistic background or media training, many media owners feel professionals are expensive to maintain compared to those with talents who only deserve exposure to the microphone to promote their talent, this has left many professional journalists in a situation of rock and slab but only to adhere and work for what is available without complaining. The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the Uganda Media council have not done enough to make sure journalists enjoy their freedom, privileges and their value for the work they do.
It’s never too late, professional journalist umbrellas should think otherwise to push for policies that favor the plight of journalists, agitate for atleast minimum qualification for journalists like it’s in other countries like Kenya, organize workshops,demand for high wages, refresher courses for journalists, unite for a common cause to give courage to the young generation for future journalists. Broadcasters through their association National Association of Broadcasters(NAB)should also think of the plight of journalists as the industry and standard of living goes high every other days that goes.
The Writer is a Content Editor at Opera News Kenya
If you have a story of opinion to want to get published at Ultimate News kindly forward it to editorial@ultimatenews.co.ug
As the covid19 lockdown bites Ugandans, the president is expected to address the country tonight in his 12th televised address on covid19 and is expected to make updates on the 21 days that he added on the lockdown extension which are elapsing next week.
However, a sexually starving ‘Muzukulu’ has urged Jjaja Mwami not to forget to open lodges.
Many slay queens and kings are starving sexually because of the ban on public transport and bodabodaz while others lack stickers to ease their movements to enjoy cassava around the country
This was a comment on his twitter post while announcing tonight’s address.
Tonight, at 8pm, I will deliver my 12th televised/radio address to the country on the subject of the Covid-19 pandemic. I urge you all to continue observing the guidelines given by the government and health officials so that we stop the spread of this disease.
Yesterday the media was a wash of news indicating that Colonel Edith Nakalema’s Anti-Corruption commission nabbed four officials at the Office of the Prime minister on allegations of inflating prices of the relief food items being supplied by the OPM.
The arrested included Commissioner Disaster preparedness and management in the prime minister’s office Martin Owor who also heads the Covid19 relief management, Christine Kintu the permanent Secretary at the Office of the prime minister, Joel Wanjala the assistant commissioner of procurement and Fred Lutimba the commissioner disaster management.
However events continue to unfold and news reaching Ultimate News indicate that Judith Nakalema and her team have raided Martin Owor’s home where they found found beans, maize flour and other items in this house.
Amidst the Corona Virus scourge in Uganda, President Museveni has dropped Mrs Doris Akol who has been the Commissioner general at Uganda Revenue Authority and replaced her with John Musinguzi Rujoki.
The President also appointed Dr Michael Atingi-Ego as the new Deputy Governor, Bank of Uganda replacing Dr Louis Kasekende whose contract expired in January 2020.
He has made these announcements via his tweeter account.
By virtue of powers granted to me by the Constitution, I have appointed Mr John Musinguzi Rujoki as the new Commissioner General of @URAuganda. This appointment takes immediate effect.
The Constitutional Court has nullified section 8 of the Public Order Management Act 2013 that had given police more powers to control public meetings in the country. Police had taken advantage of section 8 which gives them powers to allow who, when, why, what and how public meetings takes place.
Across the country, police have waved the law like a conventional flag in a war zone signaling ‘cease-fire’ to, especially Opposition activities. Perhaps, more than any other law, POMA’s prominence has been the highest on the pecking order of public debate.
This news has left many political activists especially from Opposition happy as police’s powers have been trimmed and the interpretation of the law that was tabled by former Premier Amama Mbabazi and passed by the 9th Parliament in 2013 had become a point of political segregation in the country.
JUST IN:#Uganda's Constitutional Court has nullified section 8 of the Public Order Management Act, 2013 in a 4-1 decision. The court further declared that all acts done under the law are null and void.#POMAnullified#POMApic.twitter.com/0i8ezWC84H
President Museveni is set to address the country today at 4pm following the country’s first case of Corona Virus that was announced last night. This comes at a time when Ugandans are already feeling the pinch after the president issued directive to close down schools, churches, public gatherings for 32 days.
The president made other directives yesterday to suspend all incoming and outgoing commercial flights at Entebbe Airport and also closing boarders and all other entry points to the pearl of Africa.
Humans crossing into Uganda from the different border points are prohibited going forward. This is until we find coordination at the East African level. Please stay where you are. We are not against anyone but this is about manageability. #COVID-19 #M7Address. pic.twitter.com/bdECxIE92I
However, as Christians across the country attended prayers via facebook, televisions and radios in respect to the president’s directive, another lock down is looming from what the president will say in his 3rd national address in the wake of the Covid19 that has put the world to it’s knees.
In light of confirmation of a COVID-19 case in Uganda, I will today, at 4pm, address the country on what further steps to take so that we curb the possible spread of this disease. Thank you.
