Stop misleading the public on Coronavirus – Museveni tells MP Zaake

President Museveni has replied to Mityana Municipality MP, Francis Zaake’s social media comments about the Coronavirus pandemic.

The MP recently said government is using the pandemic to gain political strength by stopping its opponents from meeting electorates.

In his statement, the President said the legislator was wrong in everything he said in his social media post about the pandemic.

“My staff brought his piece to my attention. It is full of so many distortions responding to my comment when I was addressing the NRM delegates. The fundamental point, before we meander into masks, food, etc is: “Yes”. Hon. Zaake’s answer is “No”.The next question is: “Does this pandemic kill?” The NRM’s answer is “Yes”. Honorable Zaake’s answer is “No”.” Museveni said

“According to him, it is a lie invented by the NRM to suppress the Opposition. Whether Jane Aceng made a mistake here or whether Nabakooba did another mistake there, does not remove the fact of the onset of probably the greatest plague 4 (ekyorezo) in the human history of 4 and a half million years.”

“Earlier epidemics did not cover the whole Globe because communication (travel etc) was difficult. My great-grand mother, Nyinanchweende, never told me about the Spanish influenza of 1918 because, apparently, it was only in the towns – Mombasa, etc. Yet, she was very clear about the small pox epidemics of 1893 (omuze gwa Muti – the old name of Mbarara). In the World, a total number of People infected today is 24,359,548. Those that have died are 830,197 in just 10 months!!

“On account of the stringent measures, we took early, nobody died, for 4.5 months, until the 21st of July, 2020, when the first person from Namisindwa district, by the names of Chematara Eunice, died in Mbale, in a Private Clinic. Since that time, a total of 28 persons have died. 20 of them are from Kampala where the mis-education of the likes of Zaake confuses our people. A total of 2,679 have been infected but 1,268 have recovered.

“The numbers have remained small inspite of the mistakes of the Acengs, Anites, etc. The majority, starting with me have followed the guidelines: the churches, the schools, many of the political actors (NEC of NRM, National Conference have just been held following the guidelines), the Special Interest Groups’ (Elderly, disabled, youth) elections were held recently involving millions of People following the guidelines.”

The President also commented about the political gatherings and ordered politicians to stop putting themselves in situations where people gather around them or they will be arrested.

“Regarding the politicians that have been gathering People contrary to the guidelines, my order to the IGP is now out. No. 1, no Public meeting of any type have been allowed since March except the ones following the guidelines. In the past, the 6 politicians (Aceng, Anite, etc.) were pleading that the People were gathering against their will. The order now is: “Do not put yourself in a situation where People gather around you. If you do, we shall arrest you.”