President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ‘s decision to provide Ugandans with free face masks is timely and should be highly applauded because it’s revolutionary.
Addressing the nation on the measures the government has put in place to ease the lock down , Museveni on Monday night said some people were free to resume businesses
but on a condition that they have masks courtesy of the state.
These included merchants, hotel, lodge , Public transport Operators and candidates at all levels of education among others who have since been home for nearly three months due to the effects of the lock down caused by Covid 19 pandemic.
However, Museveni emphasised that the said categories of people were free to resume business after two weeks with directives that they are patient until government procures for them masks.
To him, these masks are supposed to prevent the spreading of Corona Virus from one person to another . Although Uganda has not yet lost any citizen to this pandemic, the virus had since killed thousands of people across the globe.
To prevent it further however, Museveni in his 14th address to the nation said the government is committed to provide free masks to about 40 million Ugandans, a process that may end on June 2nd , 2020.
The said masks will be produced by Nytil Southern Range Nyanza Limited alongside other mask producers under the guidance of the National Covid 19 Task Force.
However, in my view free masks should be reserved for the vulnerable poor Ugandans who are unable to buy them so as to ease the process of lifting the lockdown.
The Government of Uganda should now guide able Ugandans on the available types of face masks on the open market that can adequately protect people from exposure to COVID-19 as the procurement and then the lengthy, bureaucratic and costly process of delivering the free masks goes on.
This intervention should be implemented in a way similar to how we have Government Hospitals and private ones, UPE/USE Schools and private ones, Government Universities and Private institutions.
This will also enhance and support the BUBU (Buy Uganda Build Uganda ) Initiative.. ”
Ibrahim Kitatta
National Vice Chairman NRM Youth League (Central Region )
Secretary General National Youth Council
