Minister Aceng criticized for disregarding social distance, face mask rules at ‘campaign meeting’

Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng is on the spot after photos of her at what looks like a campaign rally disregarding social distance and face mask wearing guidelines appeared online.

In the photo, Aceng has no face mask on yet Ministry of Health (MoH, which she heads, has been rallying Ugandans to wear masks to prevent the spread of Covid19.

In the photos shared online, only Aceng’s guard has a mask on.

Clad in a yellow dress, Aceng and the group she was talking to also failed to observe social distance, another guideline her ministry issued.

As of July 11, Uganda’s Coronavirus infection toll stood at 1,013. The country has registered no death, and 952 patients have fully recovered.

Uganda confirmed her first Covid19 case on March 21.

Three months later, the Electoral Commission (EC) released its revised roadmap for the 2021 local council, parliamentary and presidential elections.

The EC said political campaigns will not be allowed. Candidates will woo voters via media channels.

But the ICT ministry has already warned against hate speech as media campaigns shift to media instead of mass rallies.

The opposition rejected the ban on rallies and political meetings. They, for example, wondered how they would choose flag bearers.

In response, government pushed regulations through parliament to allow party organs handpick candidates instead of mass primaries.

On Friday, police arrested Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda for holding a political meeting in Kasokoso.

His party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), said he was preparing members for the forthcoming special interest groups elections.

But while police arrested Ssemujju, they left Aceng to hold what the FDC called a ‘mini-rally’ in Lira.

Aceng is seeking the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket for the Lira Woman MP seat.

In her recent declaration, she said the people of Lango had asked her to represent them.

But she faces a tough race in the UPC stronghold.

Most people have recently praised her for her effort in fighting Covid19.

But some now seem to suggest that politics could soon make her lose focus on the fight against the disease.

FDC, the main opposition party, notes that Aceng is among the very first top government officials to defy government ‘directives’ against rallies and gatherings.

With Aceng left unpunished, the party is worried the political space will remain unfair to the opposition.

FDC also thinks President Yoweri Museveni will continue with his “plans of extending his over stay in power through a ‘scientific’ election.”