By Steven Enatu
SOROTI CITY
Businessin Soroti city in the areas of Juakali street, Liverpool and market have been paralyzed this morning as the Soroti City Commissioner, Robert Adyama deploys security operatives comprising of police and its sister force UPDF to seal-off Juakali.
Adyama says the decision of closing off Juakali was arrived at when they failed to comply with the covid19 standard operating procedures like having hand washing facilities utilized, wearing face masks and avoiding crowds at their work place.
He said a surprise visit was made to Juakali Yesterday after the city task force had moved around the city center using the public address systems to sensitize the business communities on what they are required to do in regards to implementing the covid19 SOP’s but to their dismay, this didn’t yield positive results at Juakali as many were found without masks playing cards and ludo.
“We have closed them because of non- compliance, you are aware that together with my task force, we moved all over Soroti city using the public address system informing them to have active hand washing facilities, wearing of face masks but these people were adamant, they never complied. It’s just a warning to other business communities that we are reaching everywhere, we find you not complying, and we close. We are tired of talking” the furious RCC Robert Adyama said.
The East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesman, Oscar Gregg Agecca said the major routes that are affected are Juakali Street and Liverpool road but other connecting streets were also affected because they join.
The City covid19 task force will meet with the Juakali leaders and forge away forward but the place will remain closed until there is compliance.
“The businesses around these two streets have not been complying, we had a dialogue meeting with them recently but still refused to comply. We have closed their businesses and we are again going to meet their leaders” he said.
Job Oruka, a merchandise dealer around the YY corridor, says no customers are turning because the access streets have been blocked.
Martin Olari at Soroti city special hire park said the closing of Juakali was not proper because people working there are hand to mouth workers who need to survive.
He said the government should consider immediate reopening of the place.
