Uganda has suspended all incoming and outbound commercial passenger flights effective Sunday, March 22 at midnight for at least 30 days.
Addressing the country, President Yoweri Museveni said starting 12:00 am on Sunday 22 March 2020, no passenger planes or human movement will be allowed into or out of the country.
He said only Cargo planes and their crew will be allowed in Uganda as the country gets into total shutdown to prevent the Coronavirus.
Uganda is yet to record any case, with neigbhours Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo and Rwanda all already fighting to contain the spread.
“Due to the indiscipline of certain people in our efforts to curb COVID-19, we have decided to prohibit all incoming passengers into the country by air, water or road,” Mr. Museveni said.
He added that: “No person Ugandan or otherwise will be allowed to enter Uganda by land, water – except drivers of cargo vehicles. No buses minibusses, salon cars, boda boda, pedestrians on foot, people on bicycles. Nor will they be allowed to exit by these means.”
The ban, to begin on 22nd March also applies to Ugandan citizens trying to return home.
The disruption to air travel is also certain to ripple through economies, causing widespread damage to hotels, car rental companies, and restaurants.
