The President has in the past months announced a number of preventive measures aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19. The measures have included closure of all Educational Institutions, Suspension of communal prayers in Mosques, Churches, and Stadia or other open air venues, Stoppage of all public political rallies, cultural gatherings or conferences, e.t.c.
Other measures included stoppage of all public passenger transport including stoppage of all passengers coming into Uganda by air, land or water which affected in-coming planes, buses, taxis or boats; and prohibition from entry by pedestrians from the neighbouring countries. In addition a nationwide lockdown which included a night curfew was put in place.
Under Sections 11 and 27of the Public Health Act, Cap. 281, the Minister is mandated to make rules in respect to notification of disease as well as the regulation and restriction of persons and activities for the purpose of preventing the spread of any infectious disease. In addition S.36 also empowers the Minister to make rules to enforce precautions at borders for the purpose of preventing the introduction of infectious diseases into Uganda. Consequently regulations on preventive measures were put in place namely the Public Health (Control of Covid-19) Rules, 2020, and Public Health (Prohibition of entry into Uganda) Order, 2020, Public Health (Notification of Covid-19) Order, 2020, Public Health (Prevention of Covid-19)(Requirements and Conditions of Entry into Uganda) Order, 2020.
These rules enabled the regulation and restriction of persons and activities for the purpose of preventing the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The rules have also enabled the regulation, restriction or prohibition of any persons, animal, articles entry into the Country as well as imposing requirements and conditions regarding medical examination, detention, quarantine, disinfection, vaccination, isolation or medical surveillance of persons entering the Country, or the examination, detention or disinfection or otherwise of such persons, articles or things being introduced into Uganda.
The measures taken while careful not to breach the non-derogable rights of citizens has ensured that the lives of Ugandans have been protected from this killer worldwide pandemic whose consequences may be more terrible than what even the most reasonable, can predict at this moment in time. While thousands have died all over the globe including in the most advanced countries of the world, the measures taken under the guidance of His Excellency the President have put Uganda on record as being one of those few countries which so far have not only registered no deaths but also successfully treated, and discharged, as cured all cases admitted to the country’s health facilities.
His Excellency’s personal leadership has won him personally and the country, much coveted international acclaim and admiration. The rallying call to his fellow citizens that this is “our battle”as opposed to “my battle”, that we are in it together and that we must win it together as a country, has succeeded where stern measures like declaring a state of emergency which were options available to him, would have made him a lone ranger, in the wilderness of the Covid-19 pandemic. This strategy which has brought results for Uganda has endeared President Museveni to Ugandans- it’s not that he has done it, but that together as Ugandans we have done it. Not that he has done it or he is doing it alone, but that he and Ugandans together are doing it or have done it. This policy approach has transformed the success of His Excellency into the success of all Ugandans together with their President.
The resolve by the Head of State to lead his people in this war of surviving and beating off the covid-19 pandemic, through unison and persuasion, rather than legalese or militarism, has made it that easy to hold up the country’s civic virtues of sobriety, rectitude, familial and community reasonability.
