By Godfrey Busobozi
I have been thinking through, in this fight against Coronavirus, we may end up losing the fight not until we totally change our way of thinking and consequently our behavior.
Many of us if not the majority of us, are in our homes guarding against acquisition of Covid-19 or spreading the same in case one has it (suspects of the same are either in quarantine or isolation). As we continue staying at home (either in isolation or quarantine) our security forces and the entire enforcement team is moving up and down. They are either enforcing the law or gathering intelligence. However, on a thorough observation of the enforcement team, many are behaving as if they are immune to Coronavirus and carryout their routine with an attitude of "business as usual."
You need to see them arresting the suspected criminals, they literally embrace each other with the offender! I wonder, in this scuffle with the offender, what if the other party has Coronavirus!? and our officer(s) gets infected or otherwise! Renowned educationist Samuel Daniel once said; "by adversity are wrought the greatest works of admiration, and all the fair examples of renown, out of distress and misery are grown". It's therefore important that we safeguard our enforcement team against catching or spreading the dreaded Covid-19.
After duty they (enforcement officers) go back home to interact with their families and with other enforcement officers. In other times with offenders and other service providers ...the cycle continues. This is therefore to appeal to the powers that be to ensure that all our gallant sons and daughters who work day and night to ensure that our wellbeing as a people is guaranteed, are fully protected from the Coronavirus such that we may win both the battle and the war against Covid-19.
I am proposing that the ones who are to effect an arrest should be fully dressed in protective gear and have a separate vehicle(s) where to put the offenders who should equally be protected from acquiring or spreading the virus. Just like there are Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the rest of the entities, the same should apply to the enforcement team .This is so because the human being is able to take care of self once the mind is set to do so. I am fully aware this is a challenge to humanity, to have Covid-19 amidst other life challenges, we are all learning. Aristotle once said; “it’s during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”
For God and my country.
Godfrey Busobozi
Executive Director Coalition of Uganda Private School Teachers Association
(Aspiring MP for Buhaguzi Constituency Kikube district)