Covid-19: Panic shopping as Ugandans brace for hard times
People do shopping at Capital Shoppers supermarket in Ntinda, Kampala, yesterday. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
Confirmation of the first coronavirus case in Uganda on Saturday has triggered panic shopping as the population prepare for hard times as the pandemic spreads to new parts of the world.
At Capital Shoppers supermarket in Ntinda, Kampala, where about 415 shopping trollies are often packed awaiting clients to use, only four were idle yesterday. The rest were being wheeled through the shelve corridors. The shopping lists for most shoppers were similar; disinfectants, sanitary products and groceries.
The supermarket manager, who did not want to be named, said people were shopping in bulk due to the coronavirus messages and fear for a lockdown like it has happened in other countries.
Sanitisers out of stock
“Most of the sanitisers are out of stock. The price has doubled. Before it was Sh8,000 or Sh9,000 but now it costs from Sh21,000. Somebody who would buy like one piece is now buying in cartons,” the manager said.
At Shoprite Acacia Mall and other major shopping centres in the city, similar queues of people purchasing various items were seen.
“We ran out of stock, we were not ready. People are buying more than usual. It is because they do not know what to expect. Saraya [manufacturers of sanitisers] are not supplying us here anymore; they have run out of stock. I am not sure for how long they will be able to maintain supply in all our five branches,” one of the supermarket managers said.
Some people have taken to online shopping through service providers such as Ugakart and Jumia. At Jumia, one of the online shopping companies in Kampala, they still have options for individual pick-ups of orders.
Online shopping
Ms Samantha Abaho, the Jumia Uganda public relations manager, said the increase in demand for deliveries has not affected their operations because they had prepared for it.
“Our team is prepared to handle any influx of orders. We have trained and equipped our logistics team. We have also partnered with various logistics partners for delivery of products and last mile delivery agents have gloves and face masks,” Ms Abaho said.
“All our warehouses and delivery partners have been trained on best practices on personal hygiene and social distancing,” she added.
While other shops are witnessing panic purchases, fast food outlets in Kampala are feeling the pinch of the coronavirus with many struggling to find customers and or even to sustain the business.
A mini-survey by Daily Monitor in some of Kampala’s most frequented fast food eateries reveal hard challenges for the operators. The Mr Tasty branch in Kabalagala, Makindye Division, had no client when we visited and the security guard was found taking a nap.
“What do you expect to happen if clients are nowhere to be seen? Since the President ordered people to shun public places, our clientele has dropped. Many guys [workers] have been suspended and we are worried it could get worse,” said a security guard who preferred anonymity in order to speak freely.
At Chicken Tonight in Kabalagala, a waitress who declined to be named, said: “We are of course affected and struggling and it got worse when the security guys [officials] came in for the last two nights to shut down bars.”
She added: “We used to sell high, especially at night, since Kabalagala thrives in the night hours but things are way different now.”
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)’s branch in Kabalagala was at the time of our visit virtually deserted, with service providers looking on in anticipation of clients contrary to the situation before coronavirus struck.
Café Javas on Jinja Road in Kampala was also deserted on Friday, with many staff saying they were hardly able to make any sales.
