The Police is set to scale up operations in bars that are flouting presidential directives meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.
This follows several reports of defiance from sections of the public that continue flocking bars that are not meant to operate due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Sunday night, a video showing people making merry in the parking lot of one of the bars at Forest Mall in Lugogo circulated widely on social media.
This hangout at Forest Mall will be among the things that will drive us to the COVID-19 3rd wave. @PoliceUg please implement the statutory instrument by the Minister @MinofHealthUG @JaneRuth_Aceng
📹 taken at the weekend pic.twitter.com/iR2Xubt3ql— Ainebyoona Emmanuel (@ainbyoo) August 30, 2021
Health ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Ainebyoona who shared the video on Twitter said gatherings of that nature will easily drive the country into the third wave of COVID-19.
“Some bars have continued to defy the guidelines set by the health ministry to curb the spread of COVID-19 and they are going to act as super-spreaders which will lead to an upsurge of cases,” Ainebyoona said.
Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigire on Monday confirmed that the Police was tipped off that there was a gathering at the bar on Sunday evening.
“We went there and when the revellers saw the Police, they took off. We avoided arrests because it could have easily turned into a stampede. We are going to scale up our operations on bars,” Owoyesigire said, adding that they raided Forest Mall at around 2:00 am.
President Yoweri Museveni in one of his addresses to the nation said the licences of bars caught operating during these times shall be revoked and managers heavily fined.
