Schools in Uganda set to reopen for first time since March 2020

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni. [Reuters]

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni announced plans to lift Covid-19 containment measures this month that had been in place since March 2020, including reopening schools, bars and nightclubs, citing rising vaccination rates.

The East African nation has imposed some of Africa's toughest restrictions.

In September, some measures were eased, including allowing the resumption of education for universities and other post-secondary institutions.

In a televised speech late on Friday, Museveni said pre-primary, primary and secondary schools would be reopened on January 10.

Bars and nightclubs will be reopened, and a nighttime curfew lifted, two weeks after schools have resumed, he added.

Movie theatres and sporting events would also be allowed to reopen, he said, without giving further details.

As of yesterday, Uganda had registered about 142,604 confirmed cases and nearly 3,300 deaths.

The president urged Ugandans to get vaccinated as the "first solution" to Covid-19.