The opposition Forum for Democratic Change, FDC party has called out two ministers, Jane Ruth Aceng of Health and Evelyn Anite of state for Investment for carrying out political campaigns, contrary to the guidelines on COVID-19 that barred holding public rallies ahead of the 2021 General elections.
While addressing the press at their party offices in Njjanankumbi, FDC party spokesperson Ssemujju Nganda said that the duo held rallies over the weekend in total defiance of the CPOVID-19 measures imposed by the same government they are serving.
“Ruith Aceng recently announced that she was joining politics, she wants to be woman MP for Lira. And while in Lira on Friday, she was in a procession of her supporters, she also addressed a mini rally at which she lacked her face mask, no social distancing was observed at her rally, people did not wear face masks. And this is the woman who has been on TV gesturing at the public ‘TONSEMBELERA’ including my children who are 4 years old” Nganda noted.
He says the campaign has been repeated over and over again, but it is surprising, that the very minister heading the campaign is the same person practicing otherwise.
“Minister Anite while in Koboko Municipality where she is also an MP and seeking re-election, staged a campaign rally of more than 100 people. She is seen dancing and later distributing handouts to voters without practicing social distancing” Nganda explained.
He however clarifies that in the case of Hon Anite, there was a little space among the people until time to distribute handouts came and she forgot about all this.
Hon Nganda also called out ministers who carried out the inauguration of cities in Mbarara, Masak, Mbale, Jinja and Fortportal for not observing the guidelines. He wondered why government is stopping people from holding weddings while ministers are having huge rallies.
“Did COVID tell government that it does not catch people when they are inaugurating a city?” he wondered.
He added that FDC condemns the double standards always practiced by the NRM government. Nganda wants government to explain why it is keeping boda bodas, Churches, Mosques, Salons among other facilities locked when ministers are staging functions one after another.
