This Friday, the Ugandan Head of State will address the nation on the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will come just a day after the end of the forty-two-day containment period reinstated as a strict measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
A few hours before the Ugandan President’s speech, some refugees are hoping for the deconfinement to restart their small income generating activities, others remain pessimistic. A long day of waiting for the refugees who say they are in an untenable situation of vulnerability due to the confinement.
These days of confinement have worsened the precarious situation of the refugees who, for the most part, live daily from odd jobs and small businesses. This is the case of a young refugee who used to run a small restaurant in the city of Kampala in the Katwe district, and he expresses his fear of survival if the confinement measures are not lifted.
In fact, I had a restaurant in a district of Katwe, and I only lived from this small business. ” My customers were motorbike taxi drivers and shoe sellers. Everything is now blocked. I will die of hunger if the President decides to keep us in confinement”, a Burundian refugee told Journey Media
Some refugees remain optimistic, but the Ugandan President himself is aware of the negative impact of the confinement period, especially on the lives of vulnerable people in Uganda, including refugees.
“The president could at least authorize the restart of certain activities that do not pose a great danger in relation to the spread of Covid-19, while effectively maintaining preventive measures such as the compulsory wearing of masks, hand washing, etc.,” they say.
Up to 25 July 2021, Uganda had 92795 confirmed cases of covid_19, with 2590 deaths.
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