President Yoweri Museveni has allowed bodabodas to carry passengers, and reopened salons and arcades, but ordered that they record customers’ records, including national ID details and phone number.
In his July 21 coronavirus address, Museveni said scientists, salon owners and commercial motorcyclists had convinced him of measures they can put in place to prevent the spread of Covid19.
But these had to register their clients for easy tracking in case any of them contracted Covid19.
Museveni revealed that of the 230, only 170 had applied for inspection, with 110 meeting the required standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Recently, Kampala Minister Betty Amongi had cleared 48 arcades to reopen, but resumption of operations had been halted pending Museveni’s decision on the matter.
The president insisted arcades must have temperature monitors, ensure social distancing, hand washing, and not allow traders in the corridors, verandas and roadsides.
Museveni also set conditions for the reopening of salons.
“We are going to open the salons provided they provide face shields for their staff, check temperature of clients, observe social distancing, no air conditioning and partitioning of parts of the salon in the cities, plus hand washing,” he said.
Bodabodas will resume carrying passengers on July 27 after the Ministry of Works and Transport has assigned them stages. Helmets, face masks, and regular sanitizing are mandatory.
Summary of key points from Museveni’s July 21 Address
- A total of 110 arcades will reopen after meeting SOPs. They must have; temperature guns, social distancing, hand washing, no people in corridors (bikuubo), no traders on verandas, keep records of buyers/clients, no air conditioning, everybody put on masks, enough toilets.
- Salons to open immediately but ensure masks for everybody, face shields for barbers/salonists, temperature guns.
- Boda bodas will resume transporting passengers on July 27.
- Besides masks, the rider must also have helmet. Passengers too wear masks. Keep records of clients. Sanitize seats.
- Curfew now starts at 9pm, running to 5.30am. Boda bodas, however, stop operations at 6pm.
- Churches/mosques not open yet but work towards SOPs for opening.
- Airport stays closed until situation abroad normalizes.
More on Museveni’s July 21 Address
