Officials from Uganda’s Health ministry last week unfortunately sounded like a broken record as they announced the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng announced Friday last week that the country had moved from the period of sustained containment with the positivity rate below 5%. She says since December, the positivity rates have increased. 51 people were announced dead last week by the Health ministry. However, the news of the increased infections has not gained traction as Ugandans pay more attention to picking up the pieces and rebuilding a nation that has taken a beating from effects of the pandemic, especially on the economy.
President Museveni on December 31, announced the reopening of schools after 22 months of total closure. The continued closure caused Ugandans to cry out to the government, calling for measures to be put in place that would ensure learners return to schools. Uganda remains one of the few countries that had left schools shut. While announcing the closure of the country, President Museveni said the objective was to ensure that the country’s health care system is not overwhelmed. Ugandans agree that they expected the government to put in place measures to ensure the pandemic is contained and to improve the health care system. However, some have since taken to social media criticizing the health officials for not doing enough.
Ugandan schools get UK, Ireland aid to reopen
As schools reopened across the country, the UK and Ireland have partnered with UNICEF to support two key activities which aim to support safe and sustainable reopening. The focus of the support is to promote school-based surveillance for early identification, reporting, and management of emerging COVID-19 cases in schools. The support is also aimed at mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS) wellbeing training to support teachers and children to readjust. The UK has provided £450,000 (UGX2,153,403,038) to UNICEF towards the initiative. In addition, Ireland has provided Euro 1.8 Million (UGX7,200,521,083) to UNICEF for the overall Government of Uganda school reopening strategy, a portion of which is used for school-based surveillance and MHPSS in Karamoja region. The initiative has been prioritized by the Government of Uganda under its School Re-opening Strategy, and it will be implemented jointly by the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Health in districts and schools across the country. The training is covering all schools in the country.
While President Museveni last week assented to the National Social Security Bill (Ammended) 2021, savers who anticipated using the money to realign their lives and send their children back to school will have to wait another 2 months before they can access money from the fund. The Bill, now an Act will allow savers who are 45 years and have saved for 10 years to access 20% of their savings.
Somalia leaders agree to complete delayed polls by Feb 25
Somali leaders announced on Sunday they have struck a deal to complete parliamentary elections by February 25, after repeated delays in the process that have threatened the stability of the troubled country.
The agreement was reached after several days of talks hosted by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble with state leaders aimed at ending an impasse over the polls. Roble and Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known by his nickname Farmajo, have long been at loggerheads over the election crisis, with fears their feud could erupt into violence.
Pomp and colour as African Cup of Nations kicks off after 3 years
Meanwhile Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar on Sunday allayed fears of a dampened Africa Cup of Nations as he scored a brace of penalties to give hosts Cameroon a 2-1 win over Burkina Faso as the Africa Cup of Nations finally got under way. There was a reported spike in positive Covid-19 cases among competing teams clouding a bright opening ceremony. Organisers chose to cap crowd limits at 60 percent of capacity, or 80 percent when the hosts play. The home team came from behind to beat the 2013 Cup of Nations runners-up at the 60,000-seat Olembe Stadium in Yaounde where celebratory fireworks lit up the evening sky at the end of the game. Football star Samuel Eto took to his social media to express relief that the coveted tournament was finally taking place; “After nearly three years since Africa’s biggest players last came together on the football pitch, we’re finally ready for #AFCON2021. It has not been easy, but thanks to an incredible team of seasoned and passionate professionals, African football will shine like never before,” Eto tweeted.
Benny Bonsu, football fan stated, “An exciting month ahead as Africa kicks starts #AFCON2021 today. Football on the African continent is more than football. We love football the way it should be loved.”
