Parliament to limit access to only Vaccinated MPs, Staff starting November

KAMPALA, UGANDA: Parliament of Uganda has announced that effective Monday, November 1, only MPs, staff and visitors vaccinated against COVID-19 will gain access to its premises as Government pushes for mass vaccination against the deadly virus.

In a Friday notice issued to all MPs and Parliament staff, the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesigye informed the MPs and staff the directive to bar access from unvaccinated persons was made by Deputy Speaker, Anita Among.

“Hon Members and staff, in line with the Rt. Hon Deputy Speaker’s directive, you are hereby informed that with effect from Monday 1st November 2021, access to the Parliamentary precincts will be restricted to only those that have been vaccinated against COVID-19,” read the notice in part.

The notice also stated that Parliament is a key institution in the fight against COVID-19, and therefore Members of Parliament and staff “must demonstrate a good example in support of Government’s public health policy.”

“Office of the Speaker is in agreement with President’s observation, and in the communication of the Deputy Speaker at the sitting on Thursday, October 28, she gave a directive that access to Parliament should be restricted to only MPs, staff and visitors that will show proof of vaccination against COVID-19,” adds the notice.

While addressing the nation on Thursday, President Museveni said that economy will be fully opened up in January 2022.

This will be 22 months since March 2020 when Government imposed lockdown restrictions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially, Uganda had set a target to vaccinate at least 21 million people before fully lifting the lockdown.
Museveni said that by December 2021, Uganda will have vaccinated at least 12 million of 21 million target. “By the end of December 2021, more than 12 million people will have been vaccinated,” the President said.