President Yoweri Museveni has further eased the Covid-19 lock down by allowing public transport  and shopping malls to start but extended the start of candidate classes. 

President Museveni returned to address the nation on the progress on Covid-19. The President stated that the country’s Covid-19 cases had risen to 457 positive cases, 332 of them being truck drivers.

Museveni revealed: “Scientists have advised that it’s too risky to allow back even the 1.4 million finalists/candidates. Uganda doesn’t have enough test kits to test learners every 2 weeks to know who is carrying the virus. School reopening extended by one month.”

The President said: “Cabinet has already agreed that distance learning must be done henceforth. Question is the how. I had suggested using two television sets per village for students to learn but I was advised that students wouldn’t be able to observe social distancing.”

On public transport, Museveni said: “They will now be allowed to reopen provided they carry half their normal passenger capacity. Public transport in border districts still banned for 21 days, boda bodas to continue carrying only cargo, airports also still closed. Night curfew still on.”

He explained: “Boda bodas are owned by rich people who don’t see the danger of transporting passengers and continued polluting of our environment. Government had kept quiet about this inefficient public transport but can’t afford to be polite anymore.”

Museveni said: “KCCA must demarcate 3 lanes on city roads – one lane for boda bodas, one lane for vehicles and another lane for bicycles. At no time must any of them mix, he says. Riding on pavements will not be allowed.”

The President added: “Gyms, saloons, saunas, clubs still banned for 21 days because it is very difficult to observe social distancing.”