President Yoweri Museveni has begged Ugandans to listen if the country is to escape the deadly Covid-19.

President Museveni presided over “scientific” celebrations of our Heroes Day at State House in Entebbe. The theme of the day was focused on celebrating the selflessness of our heroes who put country before self.

Museveni reminded Ugandans: “Away from the COVID-19 pandemic, our biggest challenge remains corruption. This nonsense in public service and government parastatals requires a concerted effort and we shall defeat it. To hell with parasitism.”

President Museveni has fired several top government executives in the recent past. They include URA chiefs Doris Akol and Dickson Kateshumbwa, Godfrey Mutabazi of UCC and NIRA’s Judy Obitre Gama among others.

He said: “The truck drivers were a big contributor to our cases but the interventions we took are helping reduce these specific cases. The distribution of masks will start tomorrow and I have asked the authorities to prepare hospital facilities to handle up to 40,000 cases if we get there.”

The President cautioned: “As we ease the “lockdown” measures, you have been provided with careful and deliberate guidance by the government. However, it is disheartening to see some people blatantly flout these guidelines.”

He warned: “Today, we are confronted by an enemy worse than the war of bullets that we fought. It is a biological war and the value of discipline cannot be over-emphasised. Without a cure or vaccine for Covid-19, it is our personal discipline that matters most.”

Museveni stated: “Those who were healed were healed because the numbers in the treatment centres were few and the doctors could concentrate on them.”

He urged: “I appeal to you Ugandans for those whose activities we have opened up, observe the social distance, I beg you for the sake of yourself.”

Museveni went on: “Keep the distance, put on the mask don’t go in public without a mask. The mask is not very comfortable but medicine apart from that of children is bitter.”

He recollected: “The success of our struggle as embodied by the martyrs of Kikandwa was based on appreciation of the cause, commitment to it and the discipline to execute that cause.”

The President revealed: “We celebrate our heroes on June 9th because on that day, in 1981, the Obote government executed nine of our supporters in Kikandwa Village, Nakaseke District. The day, however, symbolizes our memory of all other heroes who died at different times.”