CABINET DECISIONS TAKEN DURING THE CABINET MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER   2020 AT STATE HOUSE ENTEBBE.

Cabinet:

1.Approved the appointment of Members of the Electricity Regulatory Authority as follows:

(i)Dr. Sarah Wasagali Kanaabi :  Chairperson

(ii)Amb. Joan Rwabyomere: Member

(iii)Eng. Erias Kiyemba:Member

(iv)Prof. John Ddumba Ssentamu:Member

(v)Eng. Joseph Oteng Otogo:Member

2.Approved the tenets of the Leadership Code (Amendment) Bill, 2020 as follows:

(i) Effect the operation of the Leadership Code Tribunal, to adjudicate cases of breach of the Leadership Code of Conduct.

(ii)Impose sanctions and penalties on Leaders and Public Officers who breach the Code, hence ensuring compliance.

(iii)Permit Government to recover illicitly acquired assets, since one of the penalties to be imposed by the Tribunal is confiscation of illicitly acquired assets.

(iv)Increase levels of Service Delivery, and subsequently improve the public confidence in Government’s ability to fight corruption.

3. Noted  the progress of the negotiations regarding Oil and Gas Projects,  transfer of Tullow Oil’s participating interest to Total E&P Uganda and the discussions held between His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda and the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Total SA (on behalf of the oil companies ) and progress made in the negotiation of the Host Government Agreement, Tariff and Transportation Agreement and Shareholders Agreement for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).

4.Approved the construction and upgrading of the National Road from Kasindi section (Border) to Beni (80km) and the integration of the Beni-Butembo Axis (54kms) to National Road; and the Bunagana (Border) –Ruchuru-Goma Road (89km) on grounds that the project will benefit the Government and people of Uganda through the economic interconnectivity that would provide: 

(i)Improved mobility and ease of business;

(ii)Improved people to people interconnectivity of the two countries;

(iii)Improved security in the eastern DRC; and 

(iv)Increased (enhanced) Trade and Investment.

5.Approved the shift in response interventions and recommendations made for Phase IV of the COVID-19 pandemic as recommended by both the Ministry of Health and the National Task Force on COVID- 19 Pandemic as follows:

(i)All arriving Travellers would be required to  have a negative test on arrival(72hrs). For Travellers presenting with symptoms at the airport without a test result, a sample will be collected upon arrival and the individual asked to quarantine at their cost until the result is returned.

(ii)Responsibility of ensuring that Travellers are tested prior to travel, would rest with the Airlines.

(iii)All arriving Travellers would no longer be subjected to institutionalised quarantine. They would BE GIVEN guidance on the recommended procedures for self-quarantine where needed and for infection prevention. 

(iv)Testing for any of the recent travellers would be symptom based, in the event that they develop symptoms consistent with COVID -19.

(v)Contacts will be advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and tested if symptomatic

(vi)Contacts who are in the high-risk category will be prioritized for testing to ensure early diagnosis and management.

(vii)The most vulnerable individuals will be prioritized for tracking, testing and care if infected.

(viii)Self-isolation and self-management, under well-defined SOPs and clear referral pathways will be instituted for the asymptomatic non-high-risk individuals

(ix)Health facility-based isolation and care will be preserved for the moderately, severely and critically ill case-patients

(x)Consideration will be made for auxilliary non-health-facility-based isolation and management of mild cases especially among the high-risk categories 

(xi)Adjustments will be made to the duration of hospitalization/ institutional care, based on time and symptom-based discharge criteria spelt out in case management SOPs.

(xii)Avoid visiting vulnerable relatives or hosting gatherings at their homes 

(xiii)Caretakers of the vulnerable groups should observe preventive measures at all times.