Ebola lockdown: Govt delivers first batch of relief food to Mubende, Kassanda  

Government has delivered the first batch of relief food for people affected by a 21-day Ebola lockdown for the districts of Mubende and Kasasanda in Central Uganda.

Mubende Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Rosemary Byabashaija October 29 said the relief food will partly resolve a food crisis.

“We have groups that are holed up at their respective homes and do not have food. These are mostly the urban dwellers that live a hand to mouth life,” she observed.  

While flagging off of the relief food distribution on Saturday, State Minister for Information and National Guidance Godfrey Kabyanga who represented Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja revealed that government had dispatched 1000 tonnes of maize and 500 tonnes of beans for specific groups.

“The directive as guided by the Prime Minister  is that the food items go to the targeted category of persons that include the daily roadside market vendors, boda boda riders, taxi drivers and conductors,” the minister said.

In Mubende District, the Members of Parliament led by Bashir Lubega Sempa [ Mubende Municipality] revealed that the respective constituencies had already mobilised leaders to monitor the distribution process.

“We thank government for responding in time because we have categories of people that are now jobless yet they have to meet the family basics including the food for their respective families,” he said.

Just a day after President Museveni October 15 announced a 21-day lockdown for the two districts of Mubende and Kassanda, the area legislators convened a press conference in Kampala demanding a relief food plan for the affected residents.

Uganda has so far recorded about 30 Ebola related deaths since the outbreak was confirmed in late September. At least 31 patients have recovered from a pool of nearly 100 infections.