Following communication by the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja that government will give out cash tokens to people who have been affected by the COVID-19 induced lockdown, several university students who have been receiving tuition from their parents and sponsors via Mobile Money are likely to miss out.
This follows another communication from several government officials who revealed that all persons who have ever received UGX 500,000 and above on their phones are not considered vulnerable. The move to leave out such groups of people has left many vulnerable students complaining and wondering how they will go through the 42-day lockdown.
“After the COVID-19 Taskforce meeting, we have agreed and decided that any support that will be provided to the persons most affected by the lockdown measures will be through cash tokens and not physical food distribution,” Nabbanja said.
It should be recalled that during last year’s lockdown , the government distributed food to vulnerable groups of people in areas of Kampala and Wakiso. According to statistics, over 1.5 million Ugandans received this food.
More information from the Office of the Prime Minister indicates that at least 855,281 residents in Kampala desperately need food.
