Uganda to distribute food parcels to vulnerable homes

ANA Reporter | Apr 3, 2020 | The Independent Online

CAPE TOWN – The Ugandan government will start distributing food parcels to 1.5 million vulnerable homes from Saturday.

The distribution is meant to aid families that are unable to provide for themselves during a lockdown put in place by the government to reduce the movement of people and curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda told parliament that the ministry of relief and disaster preparedness would provide food to the elderly, sick and commuter taxi drivers in the capital Kampala and central district of Wakiso.

He said the food parcels would consists of 6 kg of maize flour per head, 3 kg of beans per head and salt. Lactating mothers will get an additional 2 kg powdered milk and 2 kg of sugar.

President Yoweri Museveni first announced the food aid initiative on Monday.

“Without those activities, especially in the towns, such people may not be able to buy food. The government, after properly identifying these people, will distribute food to them in the form of maize flour, beans, powder milk, sugar, salt etc,” Museveni said.

Uganda has 45 recorded cases of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, local online publication SoftPower News said members of parliament were calling on the government to give people money instead of food parcels.

The publication cited Ruhinda North legislator Thomas Tayebwa who suggested that money be distributed via mobile money transfer, rather than physical food pack deliveries.

“Why didn’t you compute like we give money for the welfare of the elderly? We would get the (mobile phone) numbers of people and we distribute via mobile money so that they can buy food that they are interested in,” Tayebwa said.

The legislators stressed the importancee of ensuring that Ugandans could access good quality food products.