Meeting Museveni: Is it time to rethink mass Covid tests?

During his State-of-the-Nation address (SONA) this week, President Museveni announced that he was unwell and had taken some Covid-19 tests, which results suggested he could be carrying the virus.

A day later, he announced via social media that he was taking forced leave – the second in the last 53 years since he started fighting former president Idi Amin – and would be self-isolating at State House Nakasero.

The President also announced that he was “only experiencing mild symptoms” and explained that he recently gave up on wearing facemasks because of the allergic reactions they have been causing him.

The news was met with mixed reactions on social media, with some wishing the President a quick recovery. Others, however, questioned how the President could have contracted the disease since he has been one of the most careful people when it comes to observing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) announced by the Ministry of Health back in 2020.

Since it was declared a pandemic in early 2020, Covid-19 has infected more than 170,000 Ugandans, claiming more than 3,600 lives. Uganda took one of the toughest stances against the novel disease, with the President declaring total lockdown twice, and closing schools for about two years.

And in so doing, protecting the head of State become priority for government. A number of measures were introduced to ensure that the first citizen is protected from the disease that infected more than 767 million people worldwide and claimed about seven million lives.

The measures included wearing mandatory Covid-19 tests prior to meeting the President, wearing facemasks and social distancing. All went well until some members of the public started voicing concerns over the amount of money government was spending on Covid tests, especially for public functions that the President has to attend.

Members of Parliament belonging to the Opposition this week boycotted the SONA because of the same.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared an end to Covid-19 as a global health emergency. However, Gen Museveni continues to waste public resources to specific companies owned by individuals close to the regime on Covid tests whenever he meets people both at his home and other parts of the country,” said Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga, adding that SONA was expected to attract at least 20,000 people, and would cost Uganda’s taxpayer about Shs3 billion.

Covid-19 will be with Uganda for a while, and health experts recommend Covid-19 jabs and periodic booster doses. So is it time someone listens to the concerns of some Ugandans; can we afford mass Covid tests for those meeting the President?

For now, we join Ugandans in wishing the President a quick recovery.