Luzira Prisons partially locked down as Covid-19 cases surge

Prison headquarters in Luzira have been partially locked down, following a surge in Covid-19 cases in Kampala and around the whole country.

According to an internal memo from the Prisons Director of Administration, all members of the prison’s top management have been directed to enforce the new directives immediately.

The memo says that “Given the trend of Covid-19 cases in Kampala Metropolitan with Luzira Barracks having positivity rate of 77 percent, the management has directed that; prison headquarters is partially locked down with immediate effect.”

The new directive, according to the memo will see at least 30 percent of the workforce working from home, while those who have been allowed to work in-person will have to strictly adhere to all the Ministry of Health Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Visitors to the prison headquarters will also be restricted to only those with clearance during the time of the partial lockdown.

The development comes at a time when the country is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases which is being caused by the Omicron variant.

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health, the test positivity rate in the country is now at 22 percent, up from about 4 percent in the last two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Presidency Milly Babalanda has also directed all Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) around the country to enforce SOPs in all public places in order to curtail the surge.

President Museveni is expected to address the country on December 31, 2021, about the direction the country will take in the new year following the surge of Covid-19 cases.