Minister for Health in spotlight for flouting heathy guidelines on Coronavirus (PHOTO/Courtesy).
KAMPALA – The opposition Forum for Democratic Change has accused government of double standards in enforcing of Covid-19 standard operating procedures, claiming that it did not arrest Health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng and her Investment counterpart Evelyn Anite for holding gatherings.
FDC party spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said the two ministers last Friday held campaign rallies contrary to the presidential directives on Covid-19 but were not arrested while him and other opposition leaders were arrested.
“Aceng has joined politics and wants to be a woman MP for Lira District. While in Lira on Friday, she was recorded leading a procession of her supporters mainly women. She also addressed a mini-rally at which she dumped her face mask, no social distancing at her rally and people who were attending did not also wear mask,” Mr Ssemujju told journalists on Monday in Najjanankumbi, a city suburb.
Mr Ssemujju also said Ms Anite staged a campaign rally of more than 100 people in Koboko Municipality without observing social distancing.
He said however, when FDC leaders organized their members to select their flag bearers in the forthcoming special interest group, they were violently arrested.
“Several other ministers who presided over the inauguration of cities also staged fairly big functions. Are those in the ruling government allowed to do campaigns while those in the opposition not? We condemn this double standards always practiced by the government,” Mr Ssemujju said
“The government must explain why it is keeping boda boda, churches, mosques, salons and arcades closed when ministers are staging campaign events. Who will the electoral commission tell to observe social distancing measures when the health minister who issued the guidelines is violating them? He added.
At the weekend, Dr Aceng denied holding the said rally, saying that she was only launching the distribution of face masks in Aromo sub-country and showing the residents on how to wear them.
The Minister of ICT Ms Judith Nabakooba said the government regrets what Dr Aceng did but said the public should not use this to flout the guidelines.
