Museveni address: Ugandans want the president to relax curfew, open schools

Over 15 million Ugandans with access to TV and Radio will be tuning in to President Museveni’s address later tonight with a myriad of expectations that they would want him to address.

The president, according to his senior press secretary Lindah Nabusayi will address the country at 8pm on Wednesday night on matters Covid-19.

Nile Post asked a number of Ugandans about their expectations on the address and majority said that they would like the president to relax on the curfew hours and open schools staggeringly.

Morris Tumusiime, a parent, said that he wants to know what next for his daughter who has been stuck at home for almost 2 years, with no hope that she will be returning soon.

“We want to hear only one thing from the president, reopening of schools. My daughter entered P2 in January 2020, now we are going to 2022, she is still there. What next for her Education journey?” Tumusiime asked.

Otim David frim Soroti, also shared Tumusiime’s thoughts, saying, “school’s must be re-opened.”

A number of stakeholders, including politicians and heads of private schools have also pressurised government to open schools to avoid a ‘catastrophic’ situation for the school going children.

Education Ministry spokesman Dennis Mugimba said on Wednesday while appearing on NBS TV that a roadmap on school re-opening is ready and available but the final decision rests with President Museveni.

Wani Samuel, a resident in Kampala said that he will be hoping that the president can relax on the curfew hours from 1900hrs to at least 09:00pm because it is affecting the way they work.

“Let the president relax on the curfew hours at least. We cannot continue to work like this,” Samuel said.

Religious leaders and their faithfuls will also be following the president’s address keenly, hoping that the president will open up religious centres that have been closed for 3 months since June 18, 2021.

Leader of the Born Again faith in Uganda, Pastor Joseph Sserwadda has for the past few weeks been vocal on the subject, using his morning show on Dream TV to call upon government, urging them to open places of worship.

The president in his last address on Covid-19 in July said that places of worship will remain closed for 60 days which have now expired.

Bar owners and party goers will also be hoping that the bars and entertainment industry which has felt the brunt of the pandemic since the first outbreak March 2020 will finally be allowed to operate, owing to the reduced Covid-19 cases and vaccination.

Nile Post understands that the president met with Covid-19 national task force on Friday last week, and matters discussed included re-opening of some of the areas that remained under lockdown in the president’s last address.