The government of Uganda announced on Tuesday (June 29, 2021), that it would give a small package of shs100,000/-, roughly $28 to some people identified as being vulnerable. This commitment was made at a press conference at the Media Centre in Kampala. The minister of Gender made the announcement which was echoed by other ministers in different dockets.
The gender minister said the government came up with the figure after assessing how much items cost and how far those food items can take someone through the lock down. She however did not say whether or not the money will be for individuals or families.
However she explained that during the lockdown, one can buy 20 kilograms of maize flour because each kilogram is at shs2,000/-, 10 kilograms of beans assuming that each kilogram costs shs2,500/-, then buy several litres of cooking oil with half a litre (500ml) at shs4,000/-, spices , bars of soap and other items all totaling to shs80,000/-.
She added that shs20,000/- was left for miscellaneous items. However the minister should be reminded that these costs vary from place to place. The money will be sent digitally through what is known here as mobile money.
The government explained that they will identify people after establishing that the person’s name that was registered on the phone network is the same number that appears on the national identification card. “If the names are different or if someone does not have an ID then they will notify us and we will give them cash,” she noted.
On his behalf, the minister of finance said Uganda has not yet lost the fight against Covid-19. Matia Kassaijja was reiterating what his colleague, Chris Baryomunsi, the information minister had earlier said that the Daily Monitor, a local newspaper had written recently that Uganda had lost the battle against the pandemic.
Kassaijja said the government is not going to borrow money again to finance the health sector but it is going to suppress some sectors. “Travel, conferences, workshops will be suspended. Good enough Covid-19 does not allow us to travel. We shall leave other sectors untouched. We are going to release 3.2 billion shillings for this quarter and the balance of 2.7 billion shillings will be released later,” he explained.
He added that he himself had lost many people including colleagues, relatives and friends and some being staff members such as the Private Sector Foundation’s Gideon Badagawa.
“I convey my condolences to all these people. Avoid catching the disease. Follow the standard operating procedures. Avoid congregations including burials.”
“I have not gone to bury these people I have talked about. The president said we may soon start making our own vaccine. I know shs100,000/- is not a lot of money but use it properly. Be frugal. Use Google to find out more about helpful foods,” Kassaijja noted.
Baryomunsi asserted that these days one would rather forget their mobile phone at home but not forget to carry a sanitizer. “We are going to reorganize the budget and fight Covid-19,” he noted.
On security, the line minister, Jim Muhwezi, said the government can lose the battle but not the war. “We can even lose soldiers but later win the war. The security organs will play their roles because when people are in a lock down, there are places which are exposed. Cabinet approved what the president was talking about. The digitalization of all vehicle number plates. We should know where each vehicle is all the time,” he explained.
He added that most high profile crimes have been committed using motor vehicles and motor cycles especially Boda bodas.
Meanwhile, in a separate but related story, the National Drug Authority (NDA) has approved the use of Covidex, a local herbal based drug. However, the NDA said that the drug should not be used as a cure but as a supportive product to provide relief.
NDA added that the drug should be prescribed by health officials. Covidex was developed by a professor and some of the people who have used it say it provides some relief. However, the drug was a subject of controversy recently because government had summoned the professor to present himself and explain the drug’s efficacy but he would not show up whenever he was summoned.