HUMAN SURVIVAL UNDER THE WAVE OF COVID19.
By
Ahabwe Julian Prosper
Law student- Makerere University
the poor were bound to die
either quickly on the streets,
or gradually in the work house
OLIVER TWIST by Charles Dickens
The above statement shows that the poor were destined for early death without choice. This article concentrates itself on applying the extract in the Ugandan setting during the wave of COVID19.
1. Introduction
The world is facing a wave of COVID 19 caused by the CORONA virus which has terrorised world societies. The wave as long predicted found its way onto the land of the Pearl of Africa and created intensive panic. This has prompted the senior stake holders and the rulers of the state to put up preventive measures by the enacting of several rules which they do so believe will contain the spread of the virus. This has not barred the virus from spreading to more people and has caused public out cry for government intervention. The reaction of the executive has been to put in place a curfew, and declare conditions restraining human liberty in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly virus by denying the “dry grass”.
In the wake of this death wave, survival of Ugandans is at stake, not from the threat of the pandemic, but from the circumstances surrounding the prevention of the pandemic. It seems to us that the executive authority should consider the survival of Ugandans amidst the fight against corona virus.
2. STATE ACTION TO PREVENT COVID 19.
Following the threat about the entry of the virus into the precincts of Uganda, the state executive devised means on how to fight the virus which slapped alterations on the daily life of Ugandans. This included closure of institutions notably academic ones, business centres amongst others. The situation worsened when cases were realized in the country. This brought up a general lock down, and a curfew amidst restriction of people's movement, alongside the head of state assuming powers to make law, and taking decisions on behalf of the Ugandan citizen.
3. Possible danger
The closure of markets, businesses, construction sites and transport alongside other measures is posing a more grave danger. It should be taken note of that the majority of the Ugandans are very poor, below the international poverty line. It should further be noted that some of these people work to survive, and not to save, or attain wealth. We should uphold the fact that this class of Ugandans comprises people who can not survive on their savings for even a month.
In a situation where this class of people is barred from daily work, what shall be the means of survival? Under normal circumstances, these people would be doing casual work for survival. In an event where these people continuously live without work, they will definitely succumb to starvation. The government has inefficiently addressed it self to this problem.
Food distribution on which the government has attempted has only been done in Kampala and Wakiso on an inadequate basis where by the amount supplied to each individual can only feed a normal being for at most a week. After this week, the very people will again starve before the virus reaches unto them. There is possible danger of starvation more so when it becomes clear that the business community is continuously increasing prices of the essential items, where there is hoarding of food and other essential items, and where it is slightly possible to transport food to other areas of the country.
We have a group of Ugandans who have been suddenly pushed into a state of uncertainty when they were taken up by the presidential decrees when he stopped transport and declared a lock down. This is a class of people who will or can hardly access something for their bellies. In the due course, malnutrition is ensuing, and there is a possible threat of death in that case.
It should also be taken note of that the directives did not sufficiently address the health emergency issue. Mr. Museveni referred it to the RDCs who should be called in case of such emergences. We have already witnessed death of a young child due to the over centralization of duty. We have tried to leave out the question of torture because the executive has pronounced its stand against the security forces who have tortured Ugandans in the name of enforcing “lawful” orders. This is also a potential ground for national havoc.
It is therefore creating a risk that a poor Ugandan while trying to avoid COVID19, will be taken on by either starvation, or lack of medical attention, or torture at the hands of security personnel.
4. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?
In this wake, it is only appropriate to make sure these people in all regions of Uganda survive under the least possible means of human survival as may be applicable.
This can be in form of arbitration whereby the government can take up the responsibility of transporting food from areas of plenty where prices are low, to areas of scarcity where prices are high. This will help to reduce scarcity in a wake of restricted movement and control persistent food price increase. Note that it can only be effectively done by government since private means of travel have been restricted.
We would consider that the government take up a policy of price control by fixing maximum prices to reduce the exercise of unjustified extreme capitalism upon Ugandans by the profit minded business community which will tend to exploit such periods.
Rescheduling of funds from the extravagantly and yet unnecessarily allocated sectors to the provision of essential relief to the common Ugandan in all parts. This can include budget re allocation and reduction of renumeration and allowances allocated to the top political and civil servants whose renumeration is beyond the means for the time being, and ensuring transparency in this struggle.
5. CONCLUSIVE REMARKS
We end by asserting that the deadly corona can be fought and successfully defeated with minimal or no prejudice to life of the common Ugandan only when all of us aim not on attaining the war gains, but on winning the war.
By
Ahabwe Julian Prosper
Law student- Makerere University
the poor were bound to die
either quickly on the streets,
or gradually in the work house
OLIVER TWIST by Charles Dickens
The above statement shows that the poor were destined for early death without choice. This article concentrates itself on applying the extract in the Ugandan setting during the wave of COVID19.
1. Introduction
The world is facing a wave of COVID 19 caused by the CORONA virus which has terrorised world societies. The wave as long predicted found its way onto the land of the Pearl of Africa and created intensive panic. This has prompted the senior stake holders and the rulers of the state to put up preventive measures by the enacting of several rules which they do so believe will contain the spread of the virus. This has not barred the virus from spreading to more people and has caused public out cry for government intervention. The reaction of the executive has been to put in place a curfew, and declare conditions restraining human liberty in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly virus by denying the “dry grass”.
In the wake of this death wave, survival of Ugandans is at stake, not from the threat of the pandemic, but from the circumstances surrounding the prevention of the pandemic. It seems to us that the executive authority should consider the survival of Ugandans amidst the fight against corona virus.
2. STATE ACTION TO PREVENT COVID 19.
Following the threat about the entry of the virus into the precincts of Uganda, the state executive devised means on how to fight the virus which slapped alterations on the daily life of Ugandans. This included closure of institutions notably academic ones, business centres amongst others. The situation worsened when cases were realized in the country. This brought up a general lock down, and a curfew amidst restriction of people's movement, alongside the head of state assuming powers to make law, and taking decisions on behalf of the Ugandan citizen.
3. Possible danger
The closure of markets, businesses, construction sites and transport alongside other measures is posing a more grave danger. It should be taken note of that the majority of the Ugandans are very poor, below the international poverty line. It should further be noted that some of these people work to survive, and not to save, or attain wealth. We should uphold the fact that this class of Ugandans comprises people who can not survive on their savings for even a month.
In a situation where this class of people is barred from daily work, what shall be the means of survival? Under normal circumstances, these people would be doing casual work for survival. In an event where these people continuously live without work, they will definitely succumb to starvation. The government has inefficiently addressed it self to this problem.
Food distribution on which the government has attempted has only been done in Kampala and Wakiso on an inadequate basis where by the amount supplied to each individual can only feed a normal being for at most a week. After this week, the very people will again starve before the virus reaches unto them. There is possible danger of starvation more so when it becomes clear that the business community is continuously increasing prices of the essential items, where there is hoarding of food and other essential items, and where it is slightly possible to transport food to other areas of the country.
We have a group of Ugandans who have been suddenly pushed into a state of uncertainty when they were taken up by the presidential decrees when he stopped transport and declared a lock down. This is a class of people who will or can hardly access something for their bellies. In the due course, malnutrition is ensuing, and there is a possible threat of death in that case.
It should also be taken note of that the directives did not sufficiently address the health emergency issue. Mr. Museveni referred it to the RDCs who should be called in case of such emergences. We have already witnessed death of a young child due to the over centralization of duty. We have tried to leave out the question of torture because the executive has pronounced its stand against the security forces who have tortured Ugandans in the name of enforcing “lawful” orders. This is also a potential ground for national havoc.
It is therefore creating a risk that a poor Ugandan while trying to avoid COVID19, will be taken on by either starvation, or lack of medical attention, or torture at the hands of security personnel.
4. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?
In this wake, it is only appropriate to make sure these people in all regions of Uganda survive under the least possible means of human survival as may be applicable.
This can be in form of arbitration whereby the government can take up the responsibility of transporting food from areas of plenty where prices are low, to areas of scarcity where prices are high. This will help to reduce scarcity in a wake of restricted movement and control persistent food price increase. Note that it can only be effectively done by government since private means of travel have been restricted.
We would consider that the government take up a policy of price control by fixing maximum prices to reduce the exercise of unjustified extreme capitalism upon Ugandans by the profit minded business community which will tend to exploit such periods.
Rescheduling of funds from the extravagantly and yet unnecessarily allocated sectors to the provision of essential relief to the common Ugandan in all parts. This can include budget re allocation and reduction of renumeration and allowances allocated to the top political and civil servants whose renumeration is beyond the means for the time being, and ensuring transparency in this struggle.
5. CONCLUSIVE REMARKS
We end by asserting that the deadly corona can be fought and successfully defeated with minimal or no prejudice to life of the common Ugandan only when all of us aim not on attaining the war gains, but on winning the war.
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