By Spy Uganda
The Joint Security team for implementation of wearing of face masks as a way of fighting Coronavirus (COVID-19) has revealed that Ugandans shall not be allowed to wear unauthorized masks, especially those bearing political symbols and or colours.
While speaking at the Uganda Media Centre (UMC) on Thursday morning, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesperson Brig. Richard Karemire said that; “Not all masks are recommended for the prevention of #COVID19UG. It’s for each one’s safety, it’s something one can use to prevent the spread of the pandemic. It’ll protect you from acquiring #COVID19.”
He added that; “We are looking forward to implementing wearing of the right masks, being aware that there is no vaccine yet.
Wash your hands as many times as possible. We also appeal to you to practice social distancing. Prevention is always better than cure. The rest of the #COVID19Ug measures remain in place. The same vigilance taken on truck drivers is the same that we should have towards all Ugandans undermining the progress we have made,”
The directive from the UPDF however comes at a time when People Power movement leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine had already secured millions of branded masks inscribed with ‘People Power’ logo, which are being distributed out freely to all Ugandans across the country.
But our Spy revealed that since Bobi Wine’s People Power masks don’t fall under the category of those recommendations for prevention of COVID-19, they have since been indirectly banned and all those wearing them will either face arrest or see them confiscated by police.
Although Bobi Wine is yet to comment about it, during a presser held early this week, he urged Ugandans to continue making their own masks, because those from Nytil, which President Yoweri Museveni said are the recommended ones, are not easy to afford, and there are no specifications given that make them special from the rest.
Bobi Wine also said that the free masks which government plans to distribute to all Ugandans within the course of the next two weeks will take ages to reach them, yet they can use locally made ones as they wait for those from government.
