Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in his address to the nation last night announced a nationwide lockdown for the next two weeks as the country battles the covid19 pandemic.
Uganda last week banned public transport and sealed its borders and urged the population to stay home, but stopped short of a full shutdown.
Museveni said that from 10:00pm Monday private vehicles would also be banned, seeking to avoid give a more advanced warning that would see people flee the city, as has happened across the continent where many poor residents see better chances of survival in the countryside.
“I would have given the public time to adjust but… a longer time would give people time to go to the villages and in so doing they would transfer the very sickness we’re trying to prevent. This freezing of movement will last for 14 days,” he said in a televised address.
Museveni also ordered a 14-day nationwide curfew from 7:00pm.
Shopping malls and businesses selling non-food items were ordered to close.
Food market vendors who continue to trade are forbidden to return to their homes for the duration of the 14-day lockdown, while factories could stay open if remain on the premises for the duration of the shutdown.
People are still allowed to move around on foot but not gather in groups of more than five at a time.