COVID-19 | FUNERALS| POLICE

MASAKA - The Masaka Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Fred Bamwine, has ordered the Police to fire teargas at funerals if they violate the COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPS).

His directive has sparked off sharp criticism from leaders and sections of the public.

They said the instructions were harsh and extreme. The critics, led by the Masaka city mayor, Florence Namayanja, said Bamwine’s COVID-19 directives were different from those of the national COVID-19 task force.

She cited the decision by Bamwine to ban the bodaboda stages in Masaka city. 

“Bamwine has gone to the extreme. He has complicated matters, it is not fair to ban bodaboda stages,” she said.

Namayanja was supported by the Masaka district National Resistance Movement party chairperson Peter Ssenkungu, who stressed that Bamwine should desist from imposing his own COVID-19 directives in the area.

Namayanja said the law enforcement personnel were also too harsh and sometimes harassed some essential service providers such as health workers.

“Some of the health workers who use motorcycles have been unfairly treated yet they are needed,” she said.

However, Bishop Tamale Katumba of West Buganda Diocese supported the strict COVID-19 measures, saying the diocese also cautioned the clergy not to conduct funeral prayers for more than 30 minutes.

Bishop Leonard Sserwadda, the Pentecostal bishop for West Buganda, asked the public to take the communication of the President and health officials seriously.

He said COVID-19 will destroy the nation if people continue to defy the SOPs. He said the tough measures on COVID-19 are aimed at protecting the nation.