


Uganda: Ministry of Local Government – Implementation of Presidential Directives on Corona Virus (COVID-19) Emergency Response and Preventive Measures – Guidelines for the Local Governments (03.04.2020)













“We lack money but we still have food. We have too much milk, we have nowhere to sell it. Town dwellers who earn hand to mouth are those we are going to help but for a limited period” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (03.04.2020).
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is out on a hot-strike, as he has hit his 7th National Address on the COVID-19 or the Corona Virus outbreak in the Republic. Where he doles out his wisdom. Where he speak out his unfiltered mind and partly wishes he had his own MTV reality show. Because, he loves the spot-light and being the only man with a vision and who can resolve anything.
The medicine man, the man who can secure the faith of the nation, the patriotic superhero and giant of all. Kaguta is at it again. This time saying people are allowed to go the closest latrines and be stuck in their houses.
Also, he complains that workers for him in the State House isn’t leaving, they are cleaners who isn’t fleeing, but needs to get home. Wherever that home be and whatever state their living quarters are. Than, saying he lived in the bush for 5 years, so people should manage whatever. Not like the public should live like in Civil War, because you need water and soap, clean environment to ensure the corona virus spreading.
The President spoke of the power of soap and sanitizers, however, much of the population cannot afford the latter. They have enough things to pay for, while they are stuck in their houses under lockdown and cannot even get salaries or hawk for their daily pay. Still, the President didn’t challenge landlords, nor the authorities to secure running water and electricity.
He also wanted the rich to give away spare 4WD to the local Health Care Centre and such. Because, they who owns factories and such has spare to donate to the state. This coming from the man who ran the state for 34 years and now has excuses to loot the ones who gives him kickbacks to start businesses. Such a class act this His Excellency. Cars will help, but the state has bought dozens of cars over the years to MPs, State House, Parliament and so-on. Which all should be first to be front-line before he anticipate the foreign investors to drop him some investments.
A proof of his total failure of office is this one:
“We should not mix our old problems with this that is new. You can’t bring the long-standing problem of poverty which is not an emergency and has been around for a very long time. If you mix issues up, you are going to make us fail” – (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 03.04.2020).
Why do I say so? Well, for a man who promised to offer a fundamental change and who always speaks of steady progress. The man who says he made a difference and soon becoming a mid-income country. Surely, is failing like hell and cannot stomach the utter disgraceful results this gives. Because, his old problems is his lacking efforts and his lacking governance, which is the terrible factor here. That he who has run the Republic, who has promised to fix this from day-one. Hasn’t delivered. The COVID-19 only amplifies this failure, as the public lacks what they need to battle it and the state didn’t facilitate the necessities nor the stability for the basics. That is all his fault. Because, he has been focusing on his cronies, his associates and those close to him. Not building the Republic for everyone.
If you had cared about “old problems”. The Health Care Centres, the Hospitals and everything would be up to scratch now. The old problems would have be to have more ICU beds, have more units of educated nurses and doctors for this pandemic. You would have a better supported National Medical Stores (NMS). However, those are all ship who sailed, that is why your begging for cars for the district tonight.
Mr. President this is yet another disgraceful attempt of you to show grace. Instead of trying to delegate and let the experts lead. Your continues micro-managing and the mismanagement continues. Instead of taking a good way out. Your digging your own grave. This is not winning. This is slowly loosing.
You want to combat this disease, which the whole world is fighting. The lockdown, washing hands and social distancing is fine. However, the rest is wreck, but that was dead on arrival, because of the old problems. The old problems the President doesn’t want to fix, because he wants the donors to do that. Peace.

There is a reflection of our time, our day and this moment we are living in. We are seeing the true reflection of character, of values and priorities. The reflection of what counts and what is defaulting. We are seeing what counts and what falls.
There is no middle-ground in a crisis. There is golden route to the next destination in a hectic storm, a hurricane and a tornado. No, there is only a focus on how to hold on the boat, steady it and ensure your vessel get into shore. It will not be easy, this pass and the passage across the angry sea will not be without effort and hard-work. However, you got to hang in there and secure the personnel, secure the ropes and machine. Just to be sure, that you will get through and not caught in a wave. That is where we are passing right now.
We are in the midst of a storm, in the midsts of terrible winds. Where we are seeing people cast overboard, we can decide to move-on or try to save them. We can decide if we want to salvage the hurt or secure the weight of the boat. We have to count stock of the inventory and the possible timeline to the next port. So, we got enough time and food in the pantry to move along. That is where we are at.
This is not easy, especially when there is only a spoken few who is used to the sea onboard and the vessel isn’t that sturdy. This was build for the sunshine, not the rain. This boat of ours wasn’t built nor prepared with guidelines, legislation nor protocol. We have to trust the Captain, the main-deck, that their orders are good and will lead us ashore. We just have to trust and continue.
That is not easy. It will never be easy. That is why the great leaders will steer in the midst of winds and high waves. They will push through and give us hope. Even as everything seems dire, everything is grim. The fog, the wind and the waters seems more dark than ever before. Still, the Captain says the words and orders. You follow. You listen and take note. That is all you got to do. Because, you believe this man will take you there.
However, by that example. If the Captain is reckless, is beneath the office and beneath the character, which is needed. The boat will not be steady, the supply will run low and the moral will be dead. The ropes will not be taken care off and the course will be shifted. The risks are for failure even more astute. As the staff, the people are not prepared. The winds, the currents and the trust of leadership is breached. The ones onboard will fear the next turn, the next twist and the possible sinking gets there.
Because of this, the need for steady leadership is there. It is no other way out. This crisis needs that, it need the trust and understanding of the possible outcomes. An understanding of how to get away from the storm and get to port. Get ashore and be reassured along the way. Since, this sort of ride, this sort journey is hectic, nervousness and stressful. There is no short-cut, no way of turning around without getting the sea-water right in your face. That is where we are and we just got to deal with it.
Therefore, at this point of time. At this part of the journey, we will see the real leaders, we will see the Commanders among men and the ones who are followers. We will see the true ones destined to lead and the ones destined to failure. However, in this rain, we will see who gets a grip and who manoeuvrer quickly. Who has the courage and the ability to grasp the sincerity of the task at hand. That is what we will see.
The others will let the boat sink, they will let the vessel be damaged and hope someone else path up the hurt. That is not leading anything, but letting the buck stop and hoping someone else picks up the slack. That is mismanagement and destruction without taking responsibility. In reality, you see who has it and who doesn’t have it. Who can act upon the pressure and who collapse. Peace.



