Forest Mall, Shoprite Lugogo Closed for defying President Museveni on Covid-19 SOPs

Kapala Deputy Resident City Commissioner – DRCC in charge of Nakawa Division Burora Herbert Anderson has ordered for the closure of Forest Mall and Shoprite Lugogo over failure to follow Standard Operating Procedures set by the government to manage and reduce the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Burora issued the order in a letter dated July 13^th, 2021 to the management of Forest Mall and Shoprite Lugogo.

In the letter seen by LBS Radio, the Deputy RCC reveals that he had had prior conversations with the management of the establishments about security concerns but they didn’t heed his advice which prompted him to close them off effective Wednesday, July 14^th.

“Following my conversations with you on 6^th July 2021 on phone over security concerns following the 18^th June 2021 Presidential directives where the president guided the country and issued express directives and guidelines for the 42 days’ lockdown, it is unfortunate that they were not followed by the management of the premises,” Burora’s letter reads in part.

The president’s representative further outlined a number of conditions which he said the establishments had to fulfill for them to be reopened.

He said all financial institutions that operate within to reopen, shall prove that they have provided transport to their workers and that they have put in place all standard operating procedures as guided by the president and the Ministry of Health.

According to him, private cars shall not be allowed into the premises apart from those that identify with essential services provided within the premises.

Burora’s conditions come at a time when Ugandans online had started raising questions on whether the lockdown was set for a particular class of people while the rest were left to roam freely.

Lugogo mall was mentioned as one of the places where cars that do not belong to essential workers frequented with some mentioning that business was going on as usual in the premises.

Deputy RCC Burora also put a condition that all restaurants within the facility need to prove social distancing measures as opposed to the existing arrangement.

“Pharmacies will be open upon workers identifying themselves,” he added.

The management of the facility has since been advised to notify their tenants of the closure and for them not to turn up until the set conditions are met.