Covid-19 Relief: Pray Much For it to Come True, Govt Pledges to Support Vulnerable Poor With Cash Token
After the President of Republic of Uganda announcing a total lockdown of 42 days on Friday as a way of curbing the speedy spread of Covid-19, the newly appointed Prime Minister said that the government is intending to give relief to Ugandans.
The Covid-19 taskforce, held a meeting today, Sunday at Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala to discuss on how the guidelines directed by the president will be implemented.
After the Meeting, the newly appointed and vetted Prime Minister of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja revealed that the government in the second lockdown will give covid-19 relief to the most affected Ugandans but this time round, the vulnerable persons will receive a token on their mobile money accounts not food like it was in the first lockdown.
” We have agreed and decided that any support that will be provided to the persons most affected by the lockdown measures will be through cash tokens and not physical food distribution.” Said Nabbanja after the meeting.
However, the Prime Minister did not elaborate well how will they identify they vulnerable from none vulnerable, the details of how much each person will receive. However she said that by Tuesday next week, they will come out with a detailed Communication.
However, some politicians have already punched holes into process saying that it’s segregative and yet all Ugandans are entitled to be supported by their government.
” Every Ugandan deserves to be helped by the government. It’s not right to segregate on who should get the relief package. Another thing am waiting to see the transparency in this process, because the first lockdown saw officials stealing funds and many Ugandans didn’t get the posho and beans as they promised.” Former Kawempe South Member of Parliament, Mubarak Munyagwa
Uganda is still facing the problem of oxygen in hospitals both government aided, owned and private but Rt. Hon. Nabbanja says that as a taskforce, they have agreed that the funds be quickly found to boost the acquisition medical oxygen to patients.
” We have agreed that funds will be quickly found to boost acquisition of medical oxygen to support Covid 19 patients.” Nabbanja.
The meeting had, Vice President, HE Jessica Alupo,Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, Deputy PMs Gen Moses Ali and Rukiah Nakadama.