On Friday last week, government started on the phased re-opening of the country after a 42 day lockdown intended to stop the spread of Coronavirus. Various sectors were opened but places of worship were locked down for more 60 days while a date of reopening schools is unknown.
Speaking to journalists yesterday, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) spokesperson Hon Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has said that as FDC, they are demanding that more sectors are immediately opened up.
“What the recent 42 day lockdown has taught us is that congregating per say is not the main reason Corona spreads. That is why; it has not wiped out people who operate in markets around Kampala and Wakiso whose observance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) remain minimal.
The markets remained opened and heavily congested but they didn’t register alarming numbers of infections, hospitalizations and death,” said Ssemujju.
He argued that if markets can be allowed to operate then there is no reason places of worship should remain closed.
“There should be no reason why Namirembe cathedral, Lubaga, Kibuli or Old Kampala that are organized and admit fewer people, should remain closed. Places of worship must fully re-open as long as they observe the Covid 19 measures. We can even limit them to half their usual congregations.
Places of worship are not just for prayers, they are traditionally relief coordination centres. Since the population trusts religious institutions more than they trust government, they (religious institutions) should be asked to play a more prominent role in relief mobilization for the section of society that cannot feed itself during lockdowns,” he said.
FDC wants religious leaders to immediately be incorporated into Covid 19 taskforces from village to the national level.
Ssemujju said religious institutions should be asked and where necessary facilitated to offer counselling to people affected by the pandemic.
“The FDC thinks religious institutions cannot be the target of prolonged closures each time we are hit with a new wave. We must exploit their elaborate infrastructure network for relief and counselling purposes,” he said.
On schools, the FDC proposes the reopening of the schools before the country is hit by a third or another wave.
“The syllabus must be condensed and taught quickly before another wave hits us. Instead of a three months term, we can reduce it to maximum one month.
Studies that require physical interaction with teachers should be carried out during this one month and learners sent back home for revisions with enough materials. The first week of every one month term should be for exams and the remaining three weeks for studies,” he said.
And for universities, FDC advises that courses that require research and personal reading mainly arts can be taught on a long distance learning basis. The science students who do practical can then use the facilities that are decongested for maximum two months per semester or term.