Adieu dead 2020, hope for a better 2021

Friday was the first day of 2021, the year, which has been on the lips of many. It is so mainly because it is when elections will be held.

The other reason is the hope for a better year after 2020 was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year started like any other in the recent past. People welcomed it in the usual manner with various types of celebrations.

Some prayed overnight, thanking God for keeping them safe and alive, and seeking blessings in the New Year.

Others were in pubs and entertainment places merrymaking — dancing and drinking. Some stayed indoors either praying or drinking.

Some followed the overnight prayers on TV. Of course, there was a display of fireworks, in places of entertainment and worship, which is a big thing that many look forward to.

Hardly anyone knew that 2020 would turn out to be depressing for all, weeks after receiving it the world started shutting down due to COVID-19.

Country after country imposed lockdowns, schools closed, places of worship closed, workplaces closed and people were confined in their homes.

It was unimaginable. Normal life as had been known was severely disrupted that is why 2020 ended without fanfare, no celebrations. It just slipped into 2021.

What in the recent past had become the tradition of marking the end of a year and welcoming the new one is a hallmark of changes in Uganda.

There were years when overnight prayers were unheard of. Not that there were no believers, but insecurity inhibited night movements.

Also, the social, economic and political environment didn't allow freedom for people to spend the night in places of worship.

With improved security, places of worship and entertainment operate through the night. It became normal for them to remain awake through the night doing brisk business. It was always wild when celebrating the New Year. But in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck taking away the freedom to worship and merrymake.

Festivities to welcome 2021 could not take place with places of worship limiting attendance, pubs and places of entertainment closed and the 9:00 pm to 5:50am curfew. But there is hope that the New Year will be better than the last one, which was, in fact, a dead year.

The hope for a better 2021 arises from the roll-out of vaccines against COVID-19. As people in the developed world get jabs first, the developing world will eventually get too.

Developed countries will not keep the vaccines for themselves because it is in their interest as well to wipe out the coronavirus from the world.

The virus gravely devastated their economies, put health systems thought to be advanced to test and also claimed lives.

As Uganda waits for the vaccine, it is hoped that the enforcement of the Ministry of Health guidelines will be strict to contain the spread. The recent suspension of the election campaigns in 11 districts and cities shows that there could be localised lockdown of some places, including districts and towns in the fight against COVID-19.

During the 2020 lockdown, as it has been across the world, infections were contained, but rose after easing restrictions.

In Uganda, it got out of hand with the opening of the shopping malls, arcades, markets and public transport. Cases continue to grow as a result of political activities as politicians canvass for votes and people travelling over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

By the end of 2020 hospitals had run out of space to admit COVID-19 patients. And reality sunk in as more people also started seeing relatives and people they know getting infected and dying.

Even the Church was jerked into reality as many of its known members and clergy succumbed to the disease. Probably this reality could have partly prompted the Uganda Joint Christian Council to propose the postponement of elections.

The Electoral Commission (EC) responded with the suspension of the campaigns in some areas irking political actors.

The Opposition argues it was done to give the ruling National Resistance Movement candidates an edge. As a result they have vowed to defy the directive, which means continued clashes with the Police as it tries to enforce EC guidelines.

The Church's proposal to amend the Constitution and extend NRM's tenure has not been accepted by all sides.

Earlier before the election campaigns started some politicians had the view that a state of emergency is declared in response to COVID-19 pandemic to postpone elections.

If this stretched beyond the election period, then the Speaker of Parliament would take over as a caretaker president till elections are held. But then at that time, COVID-19 cases were few and there were no deaths as the case is now.

It will get worse before it gets better.

But after the holidays and polls, it will be easier controlling COVID-19 infections as was the case earlier in 2020. This way it will be possible to wipe it out and for life returning to normal (sort of) before end of 2021.

The writer is a journalist