A woman sells fried chicken at her open stall along a street, amid the spread of the coronavirus.

Ugandans Struggling To Survive In New Lockdown

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in Uganda news June 25, 2021

The ability of many Ugandans to earn a living has been squeezed by the reinstatement of the new coronavirus lockdown.

Traders who work in the markets and on the streets have been forced to either ride bicycles, walk long distances, or even sleep in the markets.

Due to the soaring number of coronavirus cases and the overwhelmed hospitals, the president imposed restrictions on transportation. These restrictions include both public and private means of transportation and will last until the end of July.

At the end of July, the president will communicate on whether to extend or lift the lockdown, depending on the intensity of the situation. The president shut down buses after the banning of inter-district travel and driving right now requires a special permit.

Kampala has now become the city of only essential workers.

During his Friday night address, President Museveni said the calls about deaths had started to bother him. Critics, however, said that imposing another lockdown is a wish list that would instead worsen the situation of many Ugandans.

Making a living has once again become a struggle yet the aim is to save lives; like a one Saudah Namaga, one of many forced to sleep in the market. She wants Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to ease the restrictions.

‘’We are selling rotten produce. All the bananas, as you can see, we don’t have buyers. So, we are asking the president, and those who talk to him should tell him to relax the orders. Those who are able to walk to town should be allowed to come and buy,’’ Namaga said.

The situation is even worse for shops not selling food, which Ugandan authorities ordered closed. The state even deployed police to enforce these commands.

Area chairman Bashir Muwonge says without help, many shops won’t survive.

This has forced Ugandans living in the countryside to walk for hours to get to town. A certain Lydia Nambogo walked over 5 kilometres to withdraw money from her savings to feed her family.

To her disappointment, she found the bank closed.

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