Uncertainty over 2nd wave, missing billions

We are back at it again; a second wave and a mini-lockdown.

A fortnight ago today, Mr Museveni announced a countrywide mini-lockdown, closing schools and restricting national travels in a process that though well intended, but with all intents and purposes was, nothing but shambles.

With minimal notice and without deep thought, clear guidelines, consultation or direction, schools were closed and inter-district travels were restricted with only three days’ (turned four) notice.

The immediate result was chaos; with public transport killed by the regime (no buses or trains – Uganda Transport Company or Uganda Railways trains that traversed this country before, students, parents and scared citizens scrambles at bus and taxi terminals to beat the deadlines.

Sights of young confused, hungry and stranded students were – thanks to some media – beamed onto our TV screens, newspapers and, of course, voices on radios. It was distressing as-if-war.

Covid-19 is war but, the attack had been notified. The timing that Sunday was of our making. It took some of us screaming at the regime and their heckling-hangers-on that police, military, prisons and even private company buses and trucks should be re-directed to aid students’ travels that Museveni responded. But it was too late.

You saw children screaming as they scrambled to board buses through the windows, stepping on one another’s noses and mouths, many without masks.

Herded to go upcountry – to spread and infect their parents and communities. Within the last week, one eminent public citizen died and his wife was battling for her life (by the time of writing), both infected by a daughter who came from school.

At least two other mothers of children I know are in the same boat, this category thankfully positively responding to treatment.

So, one wonders, why do we pay so much to leaders when they cannot think, plan or constructively speculate? What about the advisors in their hundreds? Is that what we need more than 80 ministers for?

But that’s not the point. Mid-week, the media was awash with reports of private hospitals in Kampala making market-killings with Covid-19, some charging up to Shs5m a day per Covid-19 patient.

Is this the perfect ugly ‘face of capitalism’ that former British prime minister Edward Heath once said? Why and how did we get to here? How many Ugandans can afford Shs50m (10 days) bill for medical treatment for a member of their family, moreover without guarantee of surviving, after all?

Where is government regulation and, how is it that there is no ceiling, a cap of some sorts when medicine and medical equipment are imported – tax free? How about government intervention with some subsidy of sorts?

Okay, it is reported that more people are rushing to these facilities instead of public hospitals, but does one require magical brains to answer themselves why?

Finally, what then has happened; where did all the monies, equipment and facilities that were donated to us by the US, British, EU, IGAD, Ireland and yes, all those ‘big’ countries and from domestic borrowings?

What about those so-called ‘investors’ who posed for pictures with Mr Museveni last year at State House Entebbe, where did their donations go and, who was responsible? Now we understand that vaccines are for ‘sale’, in town, I mean in ‘Nasser Road’. It is pathetic, it is criminal.

While this column argued last year that elections be postponed, others had other views. And whereas the surge has come up immediately after the swearing-in (I’m not suggesting a thing), I can only hope and pray that the mess of two weeks ago that saw the release of students from schools onto homes and communities does not lead to the total collapse of our health system. Imagine these, only in Uganda, that is Africa.

For now, with insufficient oxygen and ICU beds, ensure you observe the SOPs, stay safe.

The writer is a pan-Afrikanist and former columnist with New African Magazine                      [email protected]