Police, army accused of aiding smugglers at border

Leaders in Amuru District have accused security personnel deployed at Elegu border of allegedly clearing smugglers from South Sudan, which is hindering the fight against coronavirus.

Mr Michael Lakony, the district chairperson, told Daily Monitor on Tuesday that the security agencies were conniving with the smugglers.

“The security is taking advantage of the 10-kilometre stretch from the border entry to Unyama Bridge in Gulu District. It is disturbing that those who are on ground to implement the presidential directives are the ones aiding unnecessary movements at the border point and also engaging in illegal trade,” MrLakony said.

He said the vice is more prevalent in Okidi Parish, where several motorcycles carrying goods enter the country.
President Museveni recently closed the borders and halted any business at the border apart from cargo trucks to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa River regional police spokesperson, acknowledged that there are some security personnel who have been taking advantage of the situation to aid smugglers.
“It came to our knowledge and appropriate action is being undertaken to ensure that such a vice is stopped,’’ MrOkema said.

Meanwhile, authorities in Kamuli hospital have turned makeshift tents that were meant for outpatients into a Covid-19 isolation-handling unit.
MrZaidiAtuma, the medical superintendent, on Monday said the measure is aimed at dealing with emergencies in case of an outbreak.

“People were scared of the out-patient department being near the Covid-19 isolation unit; so we had to improvise to handle both outpatients and Covid-19 suspects,” MrAtuma said.
The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, also donated hand washing facilities worth Shs20m to health facilities in the district.

MsKadaga, who is also the Kamuli Woman MP, urged residents to regularly wash their hands with soap, stay at home and keep social distance.
Mr Moses Lyagoba, the district Covid-19 surveillance team coordinator, said reinforcing handwashing is a multi-faced strategy because it can contain most of the communicable water diseases.

In Mayuge District, at least 500 families have received household items to help them during the lockdown.
Residents of Lugolole A and B, Lukone, Nsinda, Buluba, Namagera, Katonte and Nabalongo villages received basic necessities, including maize and wheat flour, cooking oil, sugar and soap from Odur Foundation, an NGO.
The campaign dubbed ‘Through it Together’, kicked off on Sunday and ended on Monday, targeting at least 500 homesteads.

“In the wake of the Covid-19 global pandemic, we have decided to stand with vulnerable people within the community who are struggling to access the basic necessities of life,” Mr Jacob Odur, the foundation’s chief executive officer, said.

“Many people, especially the elderly, are not able to put food on the table and the current situation has made it even harder. We believe standing with one another in hard times makes the world a better place,” he added.
In Otuke District, police arrested two people for allegedly spreading false information about the pandemic.

Two arrested
The suspects were arrested on Friday after they allegedly posted on their social media accounts that Mr Robert Abak, the Resident District Commissioner, is a coronavirus patient.

Mr Michael Odongo, the North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, said the suspects are detained at Otuke Central Police Station.

“A charge of offensive communication has been preferred against them under the Computer Misuse Act section 25 of 2011,” MrOdongo said on Monday. He said the suspects told police that they were cracking jokes.

“We appeal to the general public to remain calm and careful and avoid spreading false information that causes panic in the society. Investigation is ongoing and we shall keep you updated,” he said.
MrAbak said spreading false information was making their work difficult.

“There is another case where false information is being spread that two people who returned from Kampala recently are hiding in Otuke. It is being alleged that one of them tested positive from Entebbe and escaped and yet this is not true,” he said.

MrAbak said all those who tested positive from Entebbe are currently receiving treatment either at Mulago or Entebbe hospitals. Currently, Uganda has 33 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
In Masindi and Fort Portal towns, people who were working in bars are stuck after they were sent away from their workplaces following the presidential directive to close bars.

“We are just worried, when bars were closed we don’t know how the bar attendants will survive,” Mr Nelson Fred Mandela, the central division chairperson, said.
Ms Juliet Kusiima, a bar attendant in Kijura, a Masindi suburb, said she was staying with a friend since public transport was banned.

Assistance

In Lira, the Indian community has donated protective gear worth Shs3 million to the district to combat the spread of coronavirus.The donation, which included 500 pieces of face masks, 1,000 gloves, 75 pieces of bar shops and 15 litres of hand sanitisers, was handed over to the district taskforce on Monday.

“Our hope is that we can empower those at the frontline of this fight. We must understand that it doesn’t take a multi-national corporation to help out, we can do it,” Mr Surjit Singh, president of Indian community in the district, said.

By Cissy Makumbi, Opio Sam Caleb, Charity Akullo, Isaac Otwii, Ismail Bategeka and Felix Basiime

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