NPA recommends partial lockdown ahead of President Museveni’s address

By Mariam Namakula

The National Planning Authority (NPA) has recommended a partial lockdown a head of the presidential address on COVID19 guidelines tomorrow

Speaking to the District Focus at their offices in Kampala yesterday, Mr. Joseph Muvawala the Executive Director NPA, said as the planning Authority they had put into consideration three different scenarios that could have a direct impact on the country’s development if the country was to open up after the 42days total lockdown.

He, however, said planners seemed to have agreed on the third scenario which recommended the partial lockdown as their main preference and way forward if the country was to achieve its intended development goals.

Mr Muvawala said if adopted by the president, cases will in the first stages shoot up but later on drop to at least 60% per day or 400per week. Something that was good to the grappling economy.

“The cases will rise in the first two weeks but our assumption is that we will manage to control the cases within those localities,” he said.

Adding that, though it was too early to categorically say that there shall be a third wave at the moment, there was still no imminent threat of it.

He emphasized that the projected numbers for the two weeks were still significantly high with an average of 320 cases per day and could quickly surge if not properly handled while easing the restrictions.

The scenario recommended that; allowing public movement within the districts and Kampala region with a limit for inter-district movement only to cargo. However, putting in place the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with a continued ban on all public gatherings inclusive of churches and school.

And according to him the report was ready and awaiting to be shared with the president for consideration.

Mr. Muvawala also advised that government urgently looked into the issue of having conversation with the business fraternity including the banks and landlords to create a smooth environment once the economy reopens as always recommended in his previous speeches.

“Looking at the figures for the purchasing managers’ index which has dropped from the 56% that was registered in May 2021 to 34%, there should be such a debate,” Muvawala said. Adding that, if purchases were not happening in the country then there was a serious problem of aggregate demand.

He therefore Urged Ugandans to invest more into value addition or even bonds because as the Authority had developed recommendations there was still no clear path onto whether the president would put them into consideration.