The over 116 operators complained about the unfair distribution of relief food though they were also named as a vulnerable group by the President at the time he announced a nationwide lockdown as a way of crumbling down the spread of the corona virus disease in the county.
Salon
operators in Rukungiri Municipality have this morning stormed the
office of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) demanding for relief
food.
Under
their umbrella body” Rukungiri Salon Association” over 116 salon operators
complained about the
unfair distribution of relief food and yet they are now allowed to work.
The bitter salon operators through their chairperson
Simon Agaba, said that they are facing difficult times after over three months of lockdown without working.
Agaba added that landlords having started asking
them to clear rent or vacate their premises adding that the situation they are
going through has forced them to seek assistance from the RDC’S office.
Peace Kworakunde, another salon operator says she
borrowed money from the bank to start salon business, but at the moment she has
now started receiving reminders from the creditors to clear the loan.
Kworakunde added that she is now worried with no
alternative as she may lose her plot of land which she used as collateral.
Dan Kaguta, the Rukungiri district resident
commissioner called for calmness saying that it is not intended to have their
business closed but rather a control measure to stop the spread of the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) in the country. Kaguta says he intends to engage some money lenders
to defer repayment of their loans so as to ease pressure on the salon
operators.
Later every salon operator who was present received a 5Kg pack of millet
flour as the RDC promised them a quick response regarding their
issues.
The salon operators returned home
but say the psycho-social effects of them not working
have not healed due to lack of ways of sustaining their families.
Kabanza Ronald
Freelancer