School reopening: Date set for Museveni to announce final gov’t decision

President Museveni Photo: Courtesy Photo

All is set for President Yoweri Museveni to announce his government’s final decision on reopening up more sectors of the economy, including on a proposal to allow schools to reopen their gates to final year students and candidates.

On September 13, ICT and National Guidance Minister Judith Nalule Nabakooba warned Ugandans against speculating on reopening of schools and churches.

Minister Nabakooba noted that a meeting between Museveni and the National Task Force members on Covid19 had discussed “the progress being made regarding the safety standards for key sectors such as churches, schools, the airport and many others.”

But she expressed concern that she had since “seen a number of attempts by different institutions coming out to announce different dates of resuming operations.”

“Whereas it is not bad for institutions to continue with their planning and preparing for resumption of business, it is wrong for them to continue announcing dates.”

The Mityana Woman MP made it clear that “the President will very soon come out to address the nation on the progress being made and I call upon everyone to remain calm as they wait.”

Now, just a day after Nabakooba’s statements, Museveni’s senior press secretary Don Wanyama has announced a tentative date for the presidential address.

“The tentative date for the Presidential Address on the Covid19 pandemic is Saturday, September 19th at 8pm,” wrote Wanyama on September 14.”

“In case of adjustments/changes, we shall keep you posted.”

Education ministry clears air on reports of reopening dates for candidate classes, examinations timetable

Samuel Kamugisha

Samuel Kamugisha is a Ugandan journalist, editor, language instructor, poet, fiction and non-fiction writer. A Makerere University graduate of Journalism and Communication with a decade-long experience in news reporting, writing and editing, Kamugisha is Editor at The Pearl Times. Most of his previous work was published by The Observer. When he is not doing journalism work -- which is rare -- Kamugisha will be reading or writing a short story or a poem, or caught up in the writer's block.