Masaka authorities, RCC clash over Museveni’s Covid-19 rules
A security officer orders traders in one of Masaka's busiest trade centres, Kikuubo lane, to close shops on June 21, 2021/PHOTO/WILSON KUTAMBA
What you need to know:
- RCC Mr Fred Bamwine who has since christened himself as the “President of Masaka” maintained that all the set guidelines will be strictly enforced.
A section of leaders in Masaka have faulted the Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Mr Fred Bamwine, for misinterpreting some of the presidential Covid-19 directives aimed at stemming the spread of coronavirus.
They accuse Mr Bamwine of being overzealous in enforcing Covid-19 rules which has complicated lives of residents struggling to survive during the 42-day lockdown.
Mr Bamwine who has since christened himself as the “President of Masaka” claims boda-boda riders should abandon their stages and remain at home- and only wait to be called on phone by those who need their services.
‘’He should know that President Museveni allowed us to continue operating by only carrying luggage and sometimes helping out patients during emergencies,’’ boda-boda rider Dennis Kakuto, 43, said.
Local leaders fault Mr Bamwine for directing police to tear-gas mourners who gather at burials when there are more than 20 people.
The RCC also directed retail shops ‘outside arcades’ in Masaka City to close even when they were allowed to operate.
Masaka City ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party chairperson Mr Peter Ssekungu says Mr Bamwine is implementing his own directives contradictory to those issued by the President and Ministry of Health.
“We are warning Mr Bamwine against enforcing his own guidelines, if he is the president’s representative in Masaka, let him stick to what his boss said,” he said during a Monday interview.
Masaka RCC Mr Fred Bamwine adressing some vendors he evicted from an open space in Kijjabwemi Town, along the Masaka-Mbarara bypass in June. PHOTO/WILSON KUTAMBA
He also asked police and other agencies to use reasonable force while enforcing the guidelines as people are already battling Covid-19 traumatization.
Masaka City Mayor, Ms Florence Namayanja said natives already know that Covid-19 is real.
“Take the example of boda boda riders , they are observing social distancing at their stages and due to the lock down ,there are very few who are working ,why harass them?” she asked.
Mr Rogers Buregeya, a youth councillor in the City said Mr Bamwine’s own guidelines will not work in the area.
“The President consults experts before issuing guidelines. Why is Mr Bamwine trying to be so clever?’’ he wondered.
But Mr Bamwine said the local leaders are bent on inciting residents to flout the set Covid-19 guidelines, warning that those who do so, the long arm of the law will catch up with them.
“If those people are really leaders, they should be supporting the fight against this pandemic rather than just politicking,” he said.
He maintained that all the set guidelines will be strictly enforced.
“ Masaka lost 20 people to Covid-19 in just one week and over 400 people tested positive and the increase in infections is a result of laxity in the observing standard operating procedures during burials and other social events, do you expect the RCC to sit back and watch ?,”he echoed.
