By Fred Kiva
Police say they will maintain deployment at Kisekka Market in Kampala until they are guided otherwise on the fate of spare part dealers.
Police and Local Defense Unit (LDU) personnel on Tuesday morning sealed off the market blocking all entry points.
Despite the fact that President Yoweri Museveni on Monday allowed back vehicle mechanics and hardware dealers to operate, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango while commenting on the police presence at the market said, “We shall maintain our deployment at Kisekka market and other areas, as we wait for further guidance on spare part shops.”
Onyango, meanwhile, said the several business operators that turned up for work at the market on Tuesday morning had “misunderstood” the President’s directives on Monday evening.
Easing some of the lockdown restrictions recently imposed to prevent spread of coronavirus, the President said on Monday that vehicle mechanics and spare part dealers would be allowed to resume work because they are essential for cargo trucks moving in and around the country.
But to Patrick Onyango, the President did not allow back spare part dealers. “These are spare part shops and not garages,” the KMP Spokesperson insisted. Kisekka Market is the biggest vehicle service hub around the City.
Many businesses, especially those that attract a lot of people have since March 21 been closed, to tame the spread of COVID-19 that Uganda and other countries around the globe are currently battling. Even with the reopening of some of the businesses, the President maintained the restrictions on keeping social distance and hygiene, as required to avoid COVID-19 infection.
Over 3.5million people world over are currently sick with coronavirus, while over 250,000 are dead. While Uganda remains one of the least affected countries, with no coronavirus related deaths registered, the country has of the recent seen resurgence of cases, be attributed to truck drivers from neighboring countries of Kenya and Tanzania.
Uganda currently has 97 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Eight cases, the highest total number to be registered at ago were confirmed on Monday from truck drivers and community members.
