Tomorrow, Tuesday May 19, is the last day of the current 14-day lockdown in the fight against Corona Virus as extended by president Yoweri Museveni on May 6. On the same day (tomorrow), the President is expected to make his 14th address to the nation in regard to the fight against the pandemic.
By this Monday afternoon, the media was awash with reports of the president making the address today as announced by the presidential press secretary secretary, Linda Nabusaayi but moments before filing this report, Eagle Online established that the address has been postponed to tomorrow. In a tweet, Senior Press Secretary to the president, Don Wanyama announced this afternoon that “the 14th Presidential Address by H.E @KagutaMuseveni on the Covid-19 pandemic which was slated for today has been moved to tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 8pm.”
This comes at a time when the country has more than 200 positive cases of COVID-19.
Museveni is expected to reassure the nation on steps to be taken in controlling the statistics from further escalating while several Ugandans seem to be ‘tired’ of the lockdown.
The presidential address shall be live on all TVs and Radios at 8:00pm.
At the time of the last presidential address – 13 days ago, the confirmed cases were less than 100, but are now 227 with the cumulative number of foreign truck drivers who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Uganda at a record 125.
There are reports indicating that cabinet shall this Monday advise the president to announce lifting more lockdown measures.
On Saturday, May 16, 2020 the president issued a directive allowing only truck drivers with negative test results to be allowed entry into Uganda.
This was revealed by Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the minister of Health.
Accordingly, the Ministry met representatives of the Truck Owners and National Logistics Platform and resolved to mobilize, counsel and test all truck drivers from Uganda.
“We will adopt a “Truck Driver Journey Management System” using a mobile application to monitor truck drivers on transit.
The above actions will start with immediate effect. These among other strategies are aimed at minimizing evident risks for spread is COVID19 amongst Ugandans,” she said.
It came at a time when Ugandans were blaming the government for not devising means to control the truck drivers.