KIU, Main Campus - On the evening of 30th March 2020, the President of Uganda H.E President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ordered for a lockdown in the country for two weeks in the bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

The lockdown was implemented all over the country and was effective starting 30th March 2020 at 2200hours.

The president, during his address  to the nation, said that incidentally, Uganda had a total of 839 persons  under quarantine including those who had allegedly escaped.

The president noted that people seem not to have listened to the sensitisation and precautions and hence the need for more preventive measures.

"We, therefore, think that there is less risk in taking the risk of the bitter medicine of maximum restrictions for a limited time, than gambling by assuming that pollution was limited when we are not absolutely sure. Since we started this campaign of sensitization, if everybody listened by not coughing and sneezing near other people, by not sitting too close to one another when the infected person has got no symptoms and by not carelessly touching oneself in the soft parts, the cases that entered into the house would not have spread the disease. The question, however, is: Did all our people listen?”

According to the President, it is better not to take any risk by being complacent and assuming that everybody took heed when many may have not taken heed. 

Among Some of the additional measures include the following;

Prohibition of all people-to-people movement by everybody including those using their private vehicles and boda-bodas. 

All shopping malls, arcades, hardware shops,  are suspended for 14 days starting 1st April, 2020. 

All the non-food shops (stores) should also close.  Only food stores, stores selling agricultural products, veterinary products, detergents and pharmaceuticals should remain open. 

The super-markets should remain open but with clear Standing Operations Procedures  that should restrict numbers that enter and leave the site at a given time and the handling of trolleys within the super-markets.   

Saloons, lodges and garages should also be shut for 14 days from the 1st of April, 2020.

Construction sites should continue only if they can be able to encamp their workers for 14 days.  Otherwise, they should suspend construction during the period.