In Uganda, the 42-day containment in mid-June ordered to fight the new wave of Covid-19 cases that ended on Saturday, July 31. Transportation, including motorcycle taxis, is allowed again and shopping malls can reopen. The curfew will be maintained at 7 pm and the schools will remain closed for the time being, but for Kampala residents, the resumption of operations is a real relief.
as reported from Kampala, Lucie Mouillaud
In Kikuubo, the capital’s commercial hub, Nelson, one of the neighborhood’s motorcycle taxis, has been teasing customers since the beginning of the day. do not even know if I will have a delivery to make during the day. At least now I know I should go home with some money. “
Next to him, Sylvia’s shop also brings life. The Kikuubo district, the busiest in the capital, was closed throughout the containment to avoid contamination. In her shop, Sylvia receives many deliveries, relieved to be able to work again. “Already overnight, I received orders from customers on WhatsApp, and I still get them now. So we can start working again, she announces.
Despite the recovery, many fees weigh on shoppers Across the street in Kikuubo, Jessica also opened her beauty shop. After a month and a half of closure, it’s time to reorganize. “Currently, we clean, dust, check that the products have not expired or are not damaged,” explains the store manager.
But after childbirth, according to Jessica, economic recovery will be slow as many fees weigh on traders. “Our landlord asks us to pay the rent during the two months when we could not work. Some owners even forbid traders to go into their shop before they have paid the rent,” she regrets.
The streets in the Kikuubo district are not yet as crowded as they were before the lockdown, but traders are hoping for a return to normal at the beginning of the week.
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