Museveni says Uganda will reopen schools and economy in January 2022

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni during his State of the Nation address on October 28, 2021. [Courtesy]

President Yoweri Museveni has announced that schools in Uganda will reopen in January 2022, twenty months after they were closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

In a televised address on Thursday, October 28, Museveni said the general economy will also open at the beginning of the year.

Museveni expects 12 million citizens to receive a Covid-19 injection by the end of December 2021.

He urged citizens to abide by the Covid-19 security measures to prevent an increase in the number of infections.

The head of state denied reports that Uganda had refused vaccination programs against the Covid-19 virus, saying, “I don’t think Ugandans will refuse to be vaccinated. They just haven’t been told.” [about existence or benefits of the vaccines]. Now I want to inform you that vaccines are available in health centers and schools.”

Museveni said the Covid-19 vaccination campaign will prioritize frontline healthcare workers.

“Even if you are not vaccinated, we will open schools and the economy, and if something goes wrong, the moral responsibility is yours,” the president said.

Uganda has so far recorded 125,920 cases of Covid-19 with 3,209 deaths and 96,597 recoveries.