By Spy Uganda
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Saturday evening ordered the closure of Entebbe International Airport to all passenger flights and all foreigners from travelling to Uganda either by air, waterm railway or road, as one of the ways of preventing the spread of the killer Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Museveni issued the directives shortly after a national prayer held at State House Entebbe, which was conducted by leaders of all religious denominations in Uganda.
The president who said the new measures are being put in place because of the indiscipline of the travellers who have abused the quarantine in Entebbe, said “We prohibit all incoming passengers whether by air, water or road.
In order to actualise this, we have decided to prohibit all passenger planes coming from outside Uganda from landing at any of the airports of Uganda. Only the cargo planes will be allowed to fly into and outside Uganda. Also to be allowed are planes on account of emergency or UN planes doing relief work.”
He added that the crews of the cargo planes and UN planes will be accommodated in places that will be identified in consultation with authorities in those places.
The President also noted that “Domestic flights will continue for now but we may change later because those planes are not safer.”
The President also said that although the East African Community (UAC) member states have not yet agreed on joint collective measures to avert the spread of the Covid-19, all the borders are going to be closed with only cargo trucks allowed in and out of Uganda.
“No person, Ugandan or otherwise, will be allowed to enter Uganda by water or land except for those drivers and accompanying crews-not exceeding three for cargo transport vehicles such as trailers, lorries and other cargo vehicles” he stated.
He also stated that cross border passenger vehicles will stop leaving or entering Uganda starting midday on Sunday.
“No buses, taxis, no minibuses, no saloon cars, no boda bodas will be allowed in the country. Also pedestrians walking on foot or riding on bicycles will not be allowed to enter Uganda by water, by road or by footpath nor will they be allowed to exit by those means” the President said.
He called upon the Local Council one leaders in the border areas to work with security personnel to enforce the new orders to prevent people from Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo, which are battling cases of COVID -19 from entering Uganda.
Meanwhile, in reply to members of the business community that are crying foul following the closure of bars, churches, mosques, schools and institutions, Museveni assured Ugandans that their health is better than the economy.
He tweeted thus; ” COVID-19 has brought with it challenges, but most importantly it has given us a rude awakening. For instance, we have been spending $7b importing things from China. The government is going to invest in those who can manufacture things here. I never believe in pessimism. I always look at finding solutions, yes we shall have problems in the economy, tourism, night clubs, bars will suffer but other aspects of the economy will thrive.”
