Amidst the Covid outbreak, Uganda President Yweri Museveni reopens economy

Oppositions criticized the long lockdown which was summing to a year with the reason that the economy is plummeting and had grown by just 3.8% in 2021

Covid variant, omicron has caused lots of atrocities in this festive season across different part of the world as the universe record one million cases overnight

Yweri Museveni, the Ugandan president has on Friday announced that the country’s economy which was on lockdown for almost a year will be reopened fully from January 2022 despite the current outbreak of covid 19 in the world inclusively, Uganda.

In his word, the president said: “Performing arts, cinemas, sport event, bars and events will be open 2 weeks after the reopening of schools on January 10, 2022, with SOPs as directed by the ministry”

Speaking at a time the country has recorded a huge number of covid cases of about 140,737 Mr Museveni said “the government has found new solutions to covid-19  among which is vaccinating the 22 million Ugandans above 18 years”

While the 7 pm – 5 pm curfew which was imposed as a measure to curb the outbreak of covid-19 will only “be lifted for everybody after the performing arts resume, two weeks after school resumption but with boda-bodas barred from operating beyond 7 pm”

“The transport sector which has been operating at half capacity will be allowed to operate at full capacity as long as both the travellers and the operators are fully vaccinated, except those below 18 years of age”

Furthermore, the president revealed when he visited his ancestral home in Rwakitura, western Uganda on his new year message that his attention is presently directed toward Uganda’s covid-19 situation

Opposition pressurized the president and expressed fear over Uganda’s plummeting economy

In Uganda, the opposition has come out to stand against the prolonged economic lockdown in the country which has lasted for over a year stating that the lockdown has placed the econo0my of the country on the brink of collapse as the economy had only increased just by 38 per cent in 2021

In a counter reply which was meant to clarify the audience, Mr Museveni said: “some of these measures may be reversed if a high covid-19 dependency on ICU bed occupancy exceeds 50 per cent and once the daily rate of hospitalization of critically ill patients is sustained at 30 per day for 5 days in 2 or more covid-19 units”

The president on new year eve  urged all the Ugandans specifically those over 18 years to embrace and adopt the vaccination

“You as a person should be answerable for your life and health. Scientists have now recommended a booster dose for our 3.3million Ugandans at 50 years and above. Come out and be vaccinated, he urged”

Ending a year that was mostly characterized by acts of domestic terror, landslides, floating island and health unrest, covid-19, the veteran capacitated politician says:

“We should minimize borrowing by the government. We pay Ushs15.16trillion for debts each year and Shs4.9 trillion of this is interest. We know where the problem of high–interest rates is coming from. It will be addressed.”