Sensitise public about decency

Ignorance of the law is no defence but government should consider charging the two suspects that were vending grasshoppers (nsenene) on the Uganda Airlines plane at Entebbe with a lighter offence and either give them community sentence or a fine instead of a seven-year sentence on conviction.  

On the contrary, we should use this opportunity to sensitise our people on decency.  As a public transport traveler, there is simply too much mess with some vendors on our buses and taxis either selling unacceptable stuff like dog/cat meat, dead chicken or decayed beef and poisoned food.  

There is just no regulation and it is a security threat as we can have a major disease outbreak.

Nsenene as they are locally known in Uganda, are a delicacy for many ( I do not eat them myself) and the plane incident indeed involved willing buyers and sellers that I find the holding charge a little harsh from a social lens.  I am pretty conscientised about Covid-19 and its associated negative effects, many of which are fatal, and the negativity to the economy is immense.  The case was simply disturbing because it is unbelievable that a passenger could flout the security infrastructure and vend the grasshoppers.

It was worse that there were willing customers too, our middle class that can afford air travel. His accomplice who recorded the video that went viral should have done it in good faith, and in my view is our key witness/whistleblower.

The police have said that despite the pre-flight Covid tests and mandatory use of facemasks, the passengers posed another safety risk, when they removed their masks and were shouting at the top of their voices. Correct, but that is how nsenene are sold in Kampala on the street, in buses and taxis and we are, therefore, yet to arrest the other nsenene eaters too! 

The practice has been that those found flouting the Covid-19 regulation are often charged under Section 171 of the Penal Code Act of negligent act likely to spread infection of a disease.

Instead, let us use this opportunity to ensure that managers manage.  In the event that they are charged as preferred by the State, then all those who bought and those who slept on duty should also be arrested so that government sounds a clear warning to all.

Samuel Mweru Byachi, Kampala