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| Uganda's Prime Minister Dr. Rugunda launching distribution of flood relief aid: PHOTO by: (Nicholas Bamulanzeki). |
By Nangayi Guyson
Kampala, Uganda (RTN)- The Ugandan government last weekend started the distribution of food relief to small scale workers who are affected by COVID-19 outbreak.
The distribution is targeting people living in the metropolitan area of Kampala and Wakiso who were doing small businesses but are now closed following the 14 days lockdown which the country's President announced last week.
President Museveni of Uganda ordered the door to door free distribution of food to citizens in the two districts of Kampala and Wakiso.
The government intends to distribute food items of 3 kilograms of beans, six kilograms of maize flour and salt to each of the 1.5 million Ugandans and other special needs like milk, and soap to pregnant and nursing mothers in the same districts.
Making
the announcement last week, Museveni said, “We know that this is not an easy period for most Ugandans who were doing small jobs and we shall distribute the food to most affected to support them during this difficult time".
On Thursday, Members of parliament in Uganda tried to stop the distribution of relief food in Kampala and Wakiso questioning the methodology of distribution starting with the two districts yet the entire country is under lockdown.
The speaker of Uganda's Parliament Rebecca Kadaga said until a comprehensive programme for countrywide beneficiaries is formalized no food distribution was allowed.
However, the Government has ignored the parliament and the distribution is going on. Uganda's Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said parliament's directives were only advisory and the government will go ahead with its distribution.
Rugunda added that much as the entire country is under lockdown, Kampala and Wakiso have the highest concentration of vulnerable people in need of relief food and that's why distribution is starting from these districts.
On Thursday, Members of parliament in Uganda tried to stop the distribution of relief food in Kampala and Wakiso questioning the methodology of distribution starting with the two districts yet the entire country is under lockdown.
The speaker of Uganda's Parliament Rebecca Kadaga said until a comprehensive programme for countrywide beneficiaries is formalized no food distribution was allowed.
However, the Government has ignored the parliament and the distribution is going on. Uganda's Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said parliament's directives were only advisory and the government will go ahead with its distribution.
Rugunda added that much as the entire country is under lockdown, Kampala and Wakiso have the highest concentration of vulnerable people in need of relief food and that's why distribution is starting from these districts.
Uganda imposed a total lockdown on 30 March 2020 and is being enforced for two weeks. Before that, the government had closed schools and universities for 30 days. By the time the country imposed the
lockdown, it had reported a total of 33 confirmed cases of the COVID-19
virus. The country has now reported 52 cases.
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