The police and UPDF soldiers on Monday engaged in running battles
with vendors from Napier market who were selling second-hand clothes contrary
to presidential COVID-19 directives.
They did not have face masks and were not maintaining physical distancing.
The vendors had displayed their merchandise on the pedestrians’ walkways prompting
the police and UPDF Soldiers to disperse them.
Ronald Musiiba, a vendor says that authorities have failed to
lobby for food items for vendors who were affected by the lockdown. He says
that they resolved to open their businesses as a means of saving their
livelihoods irrespective of the presidential directives.
//cue in: “bayamba…
Cue out…munumba,”
Musa Kazungu, another vendor says that government should devise means of
lifting the lockdown from the markets as part of their stock is expiring in the
storage facilities.
Kazungu adds that, save for lack of food, most vendors lack funds to service
their loans and the continued stay away from their workplaces will affect their
financial strength to sustain the already struggling business enterprises.
//cue in: “government weyali…
Cue out…waile kawunga,”.
George Musinguzi, the UPDF spokesperson in Busoga sub-region says that the
numbers within the market were overwhelming and they came in to boost police
operations.
Musinguzi further advised vendors to patiently wait for the presidential
guidance in his phased lifting of the lockdown.