Besigye warns Museveni: I’ll organise protests if you don’t remove lockdown within one week

Veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has put President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of notice, warning that he will rally Ugandans to protest if government continues to keep Ugandans under a lockdown without a plan.

Museveni announced a 42-day lockdown on June 18 after a spike in infections and deaths, occassioned by new virus strains.

But a plan to give some 500,000 vulnerable Ugandans relief cash is going slow.

150,000 MISS NABBANJA MONEY

According to the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MoGLSD), Betty Amongi, names and mobile money records of 150,915 vulnerable Uganda have been sent back to municipalities and cities after they failed to pass the verification criteria.

These records failed verification against telecoms’ database because they had telephone numbers registered under names different from what appears on the National IDs, numbers not registered on mobile money platforms, and other numbers were non-existent.

“The failed numbers will be sent to the cities/municipalities either for correction or for payment using Post Bank mobile facility – to the extent these beneficiaries possess a valid NIN,” said Amongi.

On July 13, Minister Amongi told reporters at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala that a total of 143,642 beneficiaries had each received their Shs100,000 as of 10am.

This translates in only 38 per cent of the targeted 501,107 vulnerable poor.

Data for only 377,021 (75 per cent) of the intended beneficiaries have been submitted.

Also, 11 municipalities and cities haven’t fully submitted lists of the vulnerable poor for verification.

BESIGYE COVID19 MANAGEMENT PLAN

Speaking at the People’s Government offices along Katonga Road in Kampala on July 13, Besigye announced his Covid19 plan which has four broader issues: protection of the vulnerable, mass vaccination, observance of SOPs and removal of lockdown, and protests to remove the lockdown.

Besigye wants the elderly above above 60 years, and those with with chronic ailments (co-morbidities) like high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer isolated.

He also wants these vulnerable (elderly and those with co-morbities), as well as the essential workers (health workers and teachers) vaccinated.

He has since appealed to international organisations to donate vaccines to vaccinate the vulnerable people.

A medical doctor by training, Besigye wants the lockdown and curfew removed, people allowed to resume work and schools reopened so that learners can return to school.

Noting that Covid19 will be “with us” for long, Besigye advised that emphasis be put on observance of prevention measures (Standard Operating Procedures – SOPs) such as handwashing and social distance.

PLAN B

Besigye warned tough action against Museveni if his recommendations and demands aren’t acted upon within the next seven days.

“If the proposals are ignored and lockdown measures are maintained, people should, within one week, consider to protest and impose their on lockdown to stop those moving while the vulnerable are locked down,” he declared.

“Protest is the only way to end the discriminatory lockdown.”