The National Unity Platform (NUP) party president, Robert Kyagulanyi, has urged Ugandans to get inoculated against the coronavirus, as well as observe the standard operating procedures meant to stem the spread of the virus.
While addressing the media at the party head offices in Kamwokya on Monday, Kyagulanyi reminded Ugandans of President Yoweri Museveni’s clarion call to the nation to go for vaccination if the economy is to get fully opened.
For now, the magic number is 4.8 million people for vaccination, with the plan that by the beginning of 2022, more learners will be allowed to physically return to school.
While some sections of the economy have reopened, including places of worship and gaming centres, others, such as bars and night clubs, remain closed.
On Monday, Kyagulanyi said it is a shame that weekly markets, places of worship, casinos, among others, are open yet schools are not. Instead, he added, the country is recording high numbers of teenage pregnancies.
Higher-level academic institutions, including universities, have reopened, but lower-level schools (primary and secondary) will only resume in 2022 as the government races to have teaching and non-teaching staff vaccinated.
‘Children have been at home for two years and many cases are being recorded of girls getting pregnant. Something has to be done about these increased pregnancies,’ said the NUP leader, who is better known by his music stage name Bobi Wine.
He said when students were at school, fewer cases of teenage pregnancy were recorded compared to the current situation.
Meanwhile, Kyagulanyi also demanded the unconditional release of NUP supporters and MPs, saying that some of his party loyalists were abducted and detained with no genuine reason.
‘Recently, Allan Ssewanyana [Makindye West MP] was released and later abducted by a drone when he left the prison. This is really a shame that the government doesn’t even follow court decisions,’ he said.
NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi said they currently do not know how many of their supporters are being detained in the various prison cells.
