National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s wife Barbie Kyagulanyi Itungo has criticised a proposal by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja-led National Covid19 Taskforce to give cash payments via mobile money to the vulnerable urban poor.
After chairing the national taskforce meeting in Kampala, PM Nabbanja announced the new mode of relief extension, as opposed to food distribution undertaken in the first lockdown.
Now, Barbie Kyagulanyi has questioned the criteria to be used in determining the urban vulnerable poor.
“I heard that the government is planning on giving out vouchers to be used to make withdrawals at mobile money service centres, but we can not be sure about the method they are going to use to determine those in need of the stimulus?” wondered Bobi Wine’s wife Barbie.
According to Nabbanja, the office of the prime minister (OPM) will use information from the National Identification Registration Authority (Nira) and from local authorities.
Barbie predicted tougher times in the latest lockdown.
“Most people need the outside to survive, they can not afford the luxury of staying and working at home. Today is day [four] of 42 days of a burdensome lockdown, and those in dire need feel like they’ve been starving for weeks!” she noted.
“Now that it is mandatory that they abandon their work and get holed up in their dreaded empty homes, they have no means to feed themselves. They are stuck and very stressed! This lockdown is probably worse than the one we had last year.”
She urged people to help each other.
“That said, If you have the means, without congregating people, please share meals with those who need the assistance,” she said.
“Do not forget families with little children, the pregnant and the sick.”
Robinah Nabbanja: We can’t give each vulnerable poor family Shs1m as Covid19 lockdown relief package
