Former Presidential candidate Joseph Kabuleta, who is also the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) political pressure group leader, has said that President Museveni should remove all Covid-19 restrictions as the first step towards addressing the deteriorating security situation in the country.
Kabuleta said this in the wake of Tuesday’s coordinated bomb blasts in Kampala city centre that claimed the lives of four Ugandans and left over 30 severely injured.
“The police and other security organs are abdicating their primary responsibility of protecting the lives and property of Ugandans and are instead raiding bars and locking up revelers. Perhaps that’s why we are having all these fatal bomb blasts across the city.”
“The president should remove curfew and other restrictions so that policemen can get back to the serious work of hunting down real criminals and terrorists,” Kabuleta, who is also a Pastor stated.
President Museveni is expected to address the nation on Saturday and he will be talking about the Covid-19 situation in the country as well as security and terrorism issues.
Kabuleta said: “The COVID cases are dropping by the day and the original target of 4.8m people vaccinated has been met. So there’s no conceivable reason for the president to carry on with the restrictions.”
The former journalist also cautioned the President against using Tuesday’s unfortunate bomb blasts as an excuse to keep the nation in a perpetual state of emergency.
“Ugandans are yearning for their freedom to move and associate as they please. These are part of their rights. School children are anxious to get back to their routine and the entertainment industry is looking forward to a merry Christmas.”
“There is no emergency any longer. COVID has largely been contained. So what’s the rationale behind prolonging curfew and other restrictions into January 2022?” he wondered.
Kabuleta concluded by saying that the Museveni government has dealt with terrorism before and it was restrained without the need of infringing on people’s freedom to move or associate.
“In the aftermath of the July 2010 bomb blasts, Ugandans learnt how to be vigilant at entrances to public places, but the right to assemble was respected. The same approach should be used in dealing with the current wave of terror in the city.”
