Uganda’s economy will fully reopen in January 2022. This must be welcome news for Ugandans who have spent the last 19 months under a lot of uncertainity. President Yoweri Museveni last Thursday updated the nation on the status of immunization against the Coronavirus and stated that the country will return to full-throttle activities of life and economy with rational safety in January but on the condition that 4.8 million Ugandans get vaccinated. He listed that these Ugandans need to fall under the categories of teachers and non- teaching staff in Educational Institutions, security personnel, health workers, market and bar workers, students of Post-Secondary Institutions, adults of age 50 years and above; and those below age 50 years, but with comorbidities (diabetes, HIV, blood pressure, cancer.)
In the same address, the President also assured Ugandans of safety in the face of urban terrorism. He stated that both rural-based insurgency and urban terrorism, will not defy the current capacity of government. Mr Museveni, an ardent advocate against quickly granting bail to suspects used the opportunity to rally for support in his cause, He argues that when out suspects continue to wreak havoc on the population and as such the law needs to be amended to curb mob justice.
Meanwhile all is not well in Sudan where all hell broke loose on Monday last week. More than 10 protesters have died in clashes with security forces through the week following Monday’s coup as the military took power from the civilian leaders. The two groups have been in a power-sharing agreement since long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in 2019.
The Coup leader Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan, who has been the interim president dissolved civilian rule last week, calling a state of emergency, arguing that he was stopping a civil war and political infighting. The military takeover has drawn widespread international condemnation.
Burhan has been accused by actors of losing his backing and conducting a one-man coup. Gen Burhan, who was head of the power-sharing council, said Sudan was still committed to the transition to civilian rule, with elections planned for July 2023.
In Uganda, again, it was all joy and bloom as long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei won another gold, this time the heart of a woman. The Olympic Gold Medalist, World Champion, World Cross Country Champion, and World Record Holder on Saturday married his wife Carol Carol Yeko Kamari in a traditional function at her parents’ home in Kween, Eastern Uganda. Cheptegei is the tenth man in history to hold the 5,000 m and 10,000 m world records concurrently, both set in 2020. This week also kicks off in a celebratory mood as neighbouring Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta turns 60. The flamboyant president was on Monday lauded for his bold and innovative climate financing in Kenya, by the African Development Bank President and personal friend, Dr Akinwumi Adesina. Both leaders are in Glasgow, Scotland for the COP26 summit.
