Sipa Resources said in a statement dated March 30, 2020 that “holding costs for the company’s Uganda project have also been significantly reduced whilst a new partner is sought following Rio Tinto’s withdrawal from the Farm-in and Joint Venture Agreement on 30 April 2020.”
The Kasese Resident District Commissioner Lt. Joe Walusimbi says that every driver will be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days as a measure of combating the spread of covid-19 in the district.
The Ugandan government had earlier on announced that its borders would be closed, in order to forestall the spread of the virus, which has killed more 65, 000 People across the world. So far, the confirmed cases of coronavirus in Uganda stands at 52 people, the majority of which, were all imported by travellers from Dubai, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Nicholas Twejukye the manager Ataco country resort in Kasese Town told URN reporter that after the presidential directive most clients cancelled their earlier hotel booking.
Frank Ssesaazi, is one of the few mechanics who wakeup very early to get onto the closed streets of Masaka where he arranges his toolkits to begin the day’s work.
The Purchase Managers Index (PMI) for March 2020, a survey published by Stanbic bank and mainly talks to owners of businesses show that confidence fell to 43 points, regarded as poor.
Hundreds of people still come to Kasese town on a daily basis, running their business routines, disregarding the coronavirus threat. A spot check by a URN reporter on Saturday found that hundreds of residents walk distances to work, while several others are using their cars, despite a ban on both public and private transport.
URN has established that people operating businesses in the market are not sleeping in these markets and the 4-meter spacing for the social distancing is not visible where vendors have remained congested as many people can assembly in one stall while buying.
The donation includes 500kgs of beans, 500 kgs of posho and 20 boxes each containing 24 packets of cooking oil.
The others are 10 boxes of laundry soap and 5 cartons of salt.
The region has been receiving the dailies through public buses, travelling from Kampala. But now the supply has been cut off totally, in Kotido, Karenga, Kaabong and other districts while Moroto received the first delivery of the week on Friday morning.
The money, according to Antony Thompson, the World Bank Uganda Country director, “will be re-allocated from the Reproductive Maternal and Child Health Services Improvement Project.” The bank will be put back from the Fast-Track Facility, which is funding the coronavirus responses in different countries.
Adam Swaleh, the chairperson Arua Brokers and drivers Association told URN that because of the difficulties to get money for survival and increasing hunger, many brokers hailing from Yumbe and Koboko districts have been forced to walk back to their villages.
The drivers under their umbrella body, Kasese Taxi Operators Saving and Credit Scheme have been saving an average of 15,000 Shillings per day to cater for emergencies. These include accidents, sickness, loss of relatives, and payment for traffic charges, among others.
Delivering goods and services to residences in Gulu and around the outskirts in Gulu Municipality now ranges between the range from at least 2,000 up to 20,000 depending on distance with a radius of four kilometers and nature of the consignment.
Ssebana Nsubuga, the Chairperson Mulago Hospital Youths Development Organisation, says the cost of producing coffins has escalated since president, Yoweri Museveni ordered the closure of hardware shops, which they source, material for their work.
Linda Agnes Auma, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner told URN on Friday that the lodges were closed on Thursday evening when security stormed the area and discovered that very many people had still booked in and they were still operating.
Abdul Majid Ssemwanga the Chairperson of Kasana Market Traders’ Association the market hosts over 300 traders and it was difficult to implement four meters circumferential distance.
A section of the factory operators who on Thursday evening held a closed-door meeting with selected members of the Jinja district covid19 control task force noted that they were not ready for the stringent measures issued by the government.
