Lockdown: Police to crack the whip on people walking “aimlessly”

Police is set to start intercepting members of the public walking to the city centre without any  convincing reasons .

Following the ban on public and private means of transport as a way of combating the spread of coronavirus, several members of the public resorted to walking to the centre for work.

However, speaking during a joint security task force press briefing on Tuesday morning, Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said they have realized many people are walking aimlessly to the city centre, noting that they will start intercepting them.

“We have asked our officers to start interrogating those people walking to the city centre. We are going to put them to task to explain where they are going and those without genuine reasons will be punished,”Enanga said.

The police publicist said that apart from those providing essential services like selling food, financial services , drug shops and others that were exempted by the president on the lockdown, other  people found walking to the city centre will be stopped from proceeding.

“We find no reasonable ground for them (walking to the city centre) yet they don’t fall in the essential categories. If we find you walking yet you don't fall in the category of essential workers, you will be punished. You should remain home for your own safety.”

The police mouthpiece warned that such rampant aimless movements will only fuel the spread of the pandemic.

The State Minister for ICT, Peter Ogwang said the measures put in place by government are for everyone’s benefit.

“It is for your own benefit for government to stop you from enjoying some of your rights. It may be inconveniencing but it is for your own benefit. We are doing fairly well because of such measures,”Ogwang said.

Background

A few weeks ago government banned both private and public transport means as one of the ways to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Shops selling non- food items were also closed for a period of 14 days  and by these measures, government hoped to control the influx of big numbers of people especially in the city centre which would be a fertile ground for the spread of the virus.

However, addressing the nation last week, President Museveni jokingly asked the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Muzeeyi Sabiiti to tell  his men to  start interrogating members of the public moving to the city centre on what they are going to do.

Uganda currently has 52 confirmed  coronavirus cases.