For the second year running, there will be no fireworks display as Ugandans usher in the New Year, 2022. Churches will also not be allowed to hold overnight prayers that were the norm before the advent of Covid-19.
“We want to inform the public, proprietors of hotels, gardens and dealers that fireworks are cancelled due to uncertainties caused by Covid-19,” Police spokesperson Fred Enanga says.
The Inspector General of Police Okoth Ochola last week wrote to fireworks dealers informing them that police will not grant permission to any venue to organise fireworks displays.
Police usually grants permission to over 1,000 venues across the country including hotels, bars and churches to display fireworks.
Enanga says the public is expected to adhere to the 7pm curfew that is still in place. He says people should be indoors adding that security agencies will deploy personnel in various places to ensure that no one is walking, driving or operating restricted businesses like bars during curfew time.
The country was hoping for a total lifting of the lockdown in January this year. President Museveni pegged the opening up to vaccination of 4.8 million Ugandans and said the country will be opened up in January. Already, 11 million vaccines have been administered by the Ministry of Health.
However, a recent surge in positive cases could see the lock down extended. President Museveni is set to address the nation on 31st December on the way forward.