Museveni: Vigilant villagers reported 5 foreign truck drivers who turned out Covid-19 positive

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has hailed villagers for obeying his directives and working with the ministry of health to report suspicious people in their communities. Mr Museveni said the five truck drivers who had hidden within the community were reported by the villagers, and to his relief, they turned out positive of Covid-19.

The Ugandan president lauded the cooperation of people in the villages for their commendable work in alerting medical officers when strangers appear in their amidst.

While flagging off a fleet of 45 vehicles donated to the Ministry of Health to fight Covid-19 at Kololo airstrip, Museveni said that he is amused that people in the rural areas are more vigilant and careful about the Covid-19 than those in towns whose risks are high.

“The urban people need to take a lesson from the village population. They have helped to alert the medical teams when strangers come to their localities. Among the people who tested positive is a refugee from Burundi. The villagers were mobilised and handed him over to the health authorities and he tested positive. I salute the public of Uganda for this. I am very glad about the response of the Ugandans. They have listened to the advice,” he said.

Museveni emphasised that transporters should have one driver because the roads in East Africa are now good. The president has also had a change of heart on the issue of truck driving waiting at the border until they are tested and their results released before they proceed with their journeys.

“All of them must be tested and they should move with their documents showing that they have been tested. We need the goods to come in but at the same time we don’t want the disease,” he said.

Museveni said that the real answer to Caovid-19 is to develop a vaccine, however, he urged the public to continue abiding with health regulations as they wait for the vaccine.

Uganda has seen the number of confirmed cases rise due to more truck drivers from neighbouring countries testing positive of the virus. There are voices urging the president to stop trucks coming into the country, but Mr Museveni remains adamant saying Uganda badly needs the goods.