COVID-19: Museveni makes passionate plea to Ugandans

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has made a passionate plea to Ugandans not to become complacent in the fight against COVID-19 and urged them to strictly follow the Ministry of Health guidelines as the country is hopeful for a vaccine.

The President also strongly urged Ugandans to guard against contracting COVID-19 by strictly observing the guideline issued by the health ministry adding that while we are waiting for the vaccine and other medicines to be rolled out, people should be at their best guard.

"I am begging you my people don't die of COVID-19. While we are waiting for the vaccine we should not be complacent," he counselled.

The President was on Monday afternoon commissioning the Mubende-Kakumiro-Kagadi road that has been upgraded to the tune of sh496bn.

"The people of Mubende and neighbouring districts are very happy about the roads and other services the NRM government has brought to the region," the Mayor of Mubende Innocent Sekiziyivu said.

Sekiziyivu who was welcoming Museveni to Mubende and to the commissioning ceremony of the road added that the people of Mubende are very grateful for the municipality and other projects that the NRM government is carrying out in Mubende

The road that traverses the districts of Kakumiro, Kibaale, and Kagadi is being constructed under Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) with the China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) as the main contractor.

The project also entails the improvement of an average of two kilometres in each of the urban areas of Mubende, Kakumiro, Kibaale, and Kagadi among others roads.

The UNRA executive director Allen Kagina said the new road is an important one because it provides an alternative link to Kingfisher and Kaiso Tonya oil wells as well as linking Buganda to Bunyoro region.

She added that the road has also reduced the time of travelling between Mubende to Kagadi from three hours to one and a half hours thus reducing the fares.

She said other developments along the road are the mushrooming small and medium scale industries and the crucial role it is playing of linking the producers and the buyers.

Peter Lokeris the state minister for works urged people living along the road to take full advantage of the infrastructure to improve their household incomes.

Matia Kasaija the fiancé minister said he was delighted to have the road commissioned as it used to be the subject of mockery to NRM supporters by the opposition.

President Museveni said it was time for the doubting Thomases and those who used to laugh at NRM to come and see for themselves what the party has done.

He said NRM uses the working method of prioritisation.

He said when the economy had not gained strength we used to barter some of the products citing the Mityana-Mubende road that was constructed by a Yugoslav company using a barter method.

He said after the economy improved, Uganda started to use its own money for carrying out such projects adding that the road from Kagadi will be upgraded up to Ndaiga.

Museveni further announced that the road from Lusalira-Kabamba-Makole to Ssembabule will be worked on.

Other roads to be done include that from Nalweiyo-Kakindo-Bukondo to Kakumiro and the one from Kazo-Kabogole-Kyegegwa-Hapuyo to Karuguza.

He also cited roads whose leaders do not follow up their construction like that from Miyanzi-Kasanda-Bukuya to Kiboga.

"NRM has played its role and will continue to play its role. It is now up to you the people of Mubende to play your role of adopting modern commercial and calculated agriculture for food and financial security," he said.