A section of Kampala traders has given President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni an ultimatum of five days to open arcades or face massive protests because of the unending lockdown.
Museveni in his recent address announced that arcades would remain closed because they pose bigger threat in spreading COVID-19 pandemic since these premises accommodate overwhelming numbers of people including clients and traders.
However, Museveni’s decision has for long met stiff resistance from both traders who are tenants and owners of the buildings who insist the President didn’t consider their financial status before issuing the directives.
The traders say they have lost both money and goods mostly those who deal in perishable products.
The landlords, some told government that they had lost rent collections due to continued closure and therefore are unable to service their loans.
Makerere University Lecturer Stella Nyanzi, who has expressed interest to contest for Kampala as Woman MP on Wednesday joined a group of discontented businessmen and women to express their displeasure over continued lockdown.
The group before it was arrested by police while addressing the media gave Museveni and his leadership 5 days to heed to their demands or brace massive protests across the country.
The traders demanded that after reopening, landlords give them a waiver considering the circumstances that they have not been working.
