The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), with support from the UPDF, Uganda Police, and Uganda Prisons, have today distributed COVID-19 relief food items to residents of Nansana and Kira Municipalities in Wakiso District.
The teams specifically gave out posho and beans in the divisions of Nabweru and Nansana in Nansana Municipality, and in the division of Namugongo/Kireka D, commonly known as Kasokoso area in Kira Municipality.
Speaking to the press shortly before embarking on the exercise, the Ag. Commissioner for Disaster Preparedness and Management at OPM, Ms. Rose Nakabugo, assured members of the public that the food items being distributed are of good quality and have been duly inspected and cleared by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).
Ms. Nakabugo added that all the items that have been procured and donated have gone through a two-day inspection process by UNBS. She said that this has been partly the cause of the delay in the distribution of the items. “We have now increased the speed of distribution because members of UNBS have now camped at the food stores for full time inspection and verification of the food items to quicken the process”, Nakabugo added.
It is estimated that distribution in the three Districts of Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono will consume approximately 12,000 tons of maize flour and 5,000 tons of beans. OPM has already distributed over 7000 tons of maize flour and 3,500 tons of beans in Kampala and Wakiso.
Ms. Nakabugo further explained that other items like Matooke, Milk and Sugar as well as non-food items have been distributed to groups with special needs like in orphanage homes, e.g. Sanyu Babies Home and Nalukolongo Bakateyamba Home. Others have been sent to referral hospitals to support healthy workers and patients.
250 Pick-up trucks and over 2,000 officers are already in place to support the exercise and bring an end to the stories of delayed distribution.