According to the International Labour Organisation, the latest dire assessment reflects the full or partial lockdown measures affecting almost 2.7 billion workers – four in five of the world’s workforce. The new assessment comes almost three weeks after the Organization predicted that 25 million jobs were threatened by the new coronavirus. Overall, for the second quarter of 2020 - from April to June, ILO believes that working hours are likely to decline by 6.7 per cent.
Kigo Wamuyu, an insurance broker at Bartlett brokers, said it will be hard for an insurer to pay for losses due to COVID-19, saying this was a natural disaster. She, however, said that some businesses that took a cover of business disruption can ask their insurers to see whether things like coronavirus make the cut.
A lot of eggs go to Kenya, South Sudan but traders are fearing to move. Many dealers who would come from Kenya to Uganda to take the eggs no longer come. Other consumers locally like makers of confectionery and organizers of parties are not working.
Last week, the Minister for Kampala Affairs Betty Amongi closed the markets after management failed to meet requirements set by the government to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.
BOU says it has granted exceptional permission to banks to restructure loans of corporate and individual customers including a moratorium on loan repayment for borrowers that have been affected by the pandemic, on a case by case basis for up to 12 months, effective April 1, 2020. BOU adds this is still at the discretion of the banks.
Sipa Resources said in a statement dated March 30, 2020 that “holding costs for the company’s Uganda project have also been significantly reduced whilst a new partner is sought following Rio Tinto’s withdrawal from the Farm-in and Joint Venture Agreement on 30 April 2020.”
The Purchase Managers Index (PMI) for March 2020, a survey published by Stanbic bank and mainly talks to owners of businesses show that confidence fell to 43 points, regarded as poor.
The money, according to Antony Thompson, the World Bank Uganda Country director, “will be re-allocated from the Reproductive Maternal and Child Health Services Improvement Project.” The bank will be put back from the Fast-Track Facility, which is funding the coronavirus responses in different countries.
The standards body said in a notice on Thursday evening that the public should not buy particular companies’ products. It said, “this is aimed at protecting consumers from buying sanitizers that do not comply with standards and harmful to their health, in the wake of COVID-19.”
Industry estimates show that fuel dealers will be unable to sell 160 million litres of fuel if the lock down extends to April 30, 2020. On a whole, retailers sell at least 200 million litres of fuel per month.
Following President Yoweri Museveni’s ban on public and private transport in addition to closing business operations in order to contain the spread of Covid19, Uganda Radio Network –URN took a walk to Kampala streets known for being crowded from morning till late evening.
Our reporter placed an order on WhatsApp through Deo Twikiriize, the team leader Nakawa Market Online Store. He explained to URN that he was working with several vendors in the market to supply him with goods on order.
Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi said in a statement to all accounting officers that salaries, wages, and pensions will be for all ministries, departments, agencies, and local government.
The briefing finds that millions of workers are at risk of losing their jobs as nearly 100 countries close their national borders. Today, cities are waking up to more empty streets, shuttered shops, overflowing hospitals, and orders to social distancing, which drag down the economy and threaten jobs.
However, KCCA says its leadership and the technical staff have frequently visited several city markets to check on compliance with market guidelines and found that Kasanja failed to comply and hence the closure.
Dr. Byamugisha told URN in an exclusive interview that prior to the renovation of the hospital, the delivery of health services had become difficult and expensive to manage.
All this has improved, despite the insatiable demands at the Hospital. Following months of renovation work, Dr. Josaphat K. Byamugisha, the Director of the newly transformed Makerere Health Services says he breathes with a sigh of relief.
It should be noted that data to inform this analysis was collected up to March 15, 2020. This was before government announced partial shutdown of the economy that instigated panic buying and therefore a spike in prices of certain goods, including food and drinks.
In a notice today, Ministry of Energy and Mineral development said companies intending to apply for the licenses now have six months window up to September 30, 2020 to prepare and submit their bits. The earlier deadline was March 31, 2020.
Harriet Kasirye, the Absa Uganda head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, said “We’re in the process of finalizing logistics in line with the president’s directive issued last night. The operations position for the rest of the lockdown period will follow shortly.”
