KAMPALA – The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has accused the government of mismanaging the COVID-19 response and laid down proposals for a phased re-opening of schools.
The government has suspended the reopening of schools, which were closed on March 18, as it monitors the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has since announced a virtual learning programme which is conducted on TV and radio.
But Mr Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the FDC spokesperson, told journalists on Monday that we simply have to learn to live with the new normal and continue with our lives.
“I think knowing how corrupt the Museveni regime is, we simply have to learn to live with the new normal and continue with our lives. We must begin a phased re-opening of schools. The government should meet the cost of maintaining candidates’ classes in school by paying their fees,” Mr Nganda said.
“We can put all our children in boarding and order all teachers to stay at schools till end of the academic year. Teachers from private schools have gone without pay since March. Government should extend relief to these teachers until schools re-open,” he added.
The FDC leadership also criticised the government’s handling of the food distribution programme, saying even when the pandemic continues, people are starving.
“The number of Ugandans infected with Covid 19 continues to rise. We are now approaching 800. And it is now nearly three months since the first case was reported. The response of Museveni as you all know has been a mess. He undertook to provide food to 1.5 million vulnerable people in Kampala and Wakiso in the first 14 days of the lockdown which he failed to do. Only Kampala was covered up to about 80%. People in Wakiso and in many other urban areas are starving,” Mr Nganda said.