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OPINIONThe Cost of Coronavirus from an Economic lensRUGAYA M. JULIUS CAESARFreelance WriterAt the height of the negative effects ofthe stigma associated with the HIV/AIDS scourge in the 1980’s and 1990’s inUganda, a phrase was coined to wit, thatif you are not infected you are affected.Nothing could be truer at this moment when thewhole world is reeling from the shock of the novelcoronavirus (2019-nCoV). Its ripple effects are stillunprecedented, and it will take many countriesyears to recover from a global pandemic of thismagnitude. Unfortunately, the situation will evenbe worse for the developing economies of subSaharan Africa. Take Uganda for example.At the time of writing this article, the Ministry ofHealth had confirmed 9 cases of people who hadtested positive for Corona virus, now commonlyreferred to as COVID-19. Many others who testednegative and are now roaming freely around thecountry could simply be asymptomatic for nowyet they are infected and are infecting othersunknowingly. In short, we have a disaster awaitingto unfold in our faces.Needless to say, this virus is not a health concernalone anymore. It will significantly affect economicactivities in all spheres of life. In his March 19thstatement to Parliament, Minister for Finance, Hon.Matia Kasaija said that the outbreak of COVID-19in Uganda will impose a significant strain on thehealth sector which will in the end require additionalresources to deal with the pandemic. That is notthe only thing that should worry us though.COVID-19 in Uganda is already having anegative impact on our economy. Right now, thetourism and hospitality industries are on their knees.With all international flights suspended, tourists areno longer coming into the country. Tour operators,hoteliers, tour guides, drivers, among others havebeen rendered unemployed. Bars are now closed:bar owners, bar tenders, and those who sell othercommodities near such places like roasted meat,are also at home not earning a coin. With restrictedmovement, roadside kiosk owners and othertraders in mobile markets can hardly make evenhalf of their normal daily income. Taxis are nowforced to either wait for passengers for many hoursor simply move half empty. Businesses are shuttingup in all directions. The painful realty is that mostUgandans survive on a daily income with zero orminimal savings. Therefore, a day without work isanother step into destitution. In fact, Ministry ofFinance has already estimated that about 780,000Ugandans may be pushed into poverty because ofcoronavirus.A much ignored problem, however, is that ofalarmists, fear-mongers and purveyors of fakenews. Social media, particularly WhatsApp, isawash with unverified scary information concerningthe disease. The timely warnings from the mediaregulator, Uganda Communications Commission,have since gone unheeded. The panic thiscallousness and carelessness has so far caused isimmense. People are now doing panic shopping asshopkeepers cash in by hiking commodity prices.For instance, a packet of salt is reportedly beingsold at 4,000 shillings up from 800 shillings in someplaces. Hand sanitizers which are essential at thiscrucial moment are going for over 100,000 shillingsup from 27,000 shillings.Unfortunately, middlemen are purchasingagricultural products cheaply to hoard in theirstores in order to create a temporary shortage sothat they benefit from increased prices. We are ina state of economic lawlessness. The only realisticsolution in the circumstances would be to set aprice cap for all commodity prices, or at least theessential ones. We are in a crisis that requiresquick pragmatic solutions. As American economistMilton Friedman once said, “Only a crisis, actualor perceived, produces real change.” We need“to develop alternatives to existing policies…until the politically impossible becomes politicallyinevitable.”If the worse comes to the worst and we end upinto a nationwide lockdown, hunger may claim useven before the virus does. Remember, if you arenot infected, you will be affected.42APRIL 2020
DIRECTORFr. John Peter AlenyoCOMBONI SPIRITUALITY CENTER – LAYIBIP.O. Box 777, GULUPROMOTING SPIRITUAL AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT OF THE PEOPLEAPRIL 2020Wednesday 1 st to Friday 10 th Preached Retreat: BLEEDING LOVE: based onevents of the Easter Tridium Fr. J. Peter Alenyo, MCCJMonday 20 th to Saturday 25 th - MCCJ Provincial Assembly by Fr. Achilles Kiwanuka,MCCJ & Team25 th to 27 th April - Center freeTuesday 28 th - April to Sunday 3 rd May - Comboni Lay Missionaries – Uganda.Recollection and Annual assemblyMAY 2020Monday 4 th to Wednesday 13 th Preached Retreat for Comboni Missionaries’Novices. Topic HERE I AM, LORD – a prayerful journey into the Religious Vows.Fr. J. Peter Alenyo, MCCJ14 th to 17 th Re-evaluation Counselling WorkshopMonday 18 th to Wednesday 27 th Preached Retreat. Topic: Empowered by FireDevine. An explosive Retreat for all yearning for a boiling spiritual life. Fr. J. PeterAlenyo, MCCJJUNE 2020 - Monday 8 th - Wednesday 17 th . Directed Retreat. Fr. J. Peter Alenyo,MCCJ18 th to 30 th - Center freeJULY 2020Thursday 2 nd July to Friday 11 th Preached Retreat: BREATHING I COME(aimed at firing up the young Clergy and young Religious in their livesand ministry) Fr. J. Peter Alenyo, MCCJ12 th to 23 rd - Center free24 th to 27 th - Workshop for Catholic Women Action. Miss Irene and teamAUGUST 2020Monday 3 rd to Wednesday 12 th Directed Retreat Fr. J. Peter Alenyo, MCCJMonday 17 th to Tuesday 25 th Preached Retreat: GOOD AFTERNOON MIDLIFE(Aimed at Clergy and Religious above 35 years. A prayerful exploration of theCommon issues of Midlife) Fr. J. Peter Alenyo, MCCJSEPTEMBER 2020Tueday 1 st to Wednesday 9 th Preached Retreat to the Sisters’ of St.Joseph of Tarbes. Topic: “THE EVANGELICAL GAZE” a Meditation on howGod sees us and a call to learn from Him by Fr. J. Peter Alenyo, MCCJ10 th to 20 th - Center freeMonday 21 st to Saturday 26 th Workshop for Pastoral Spiritual YearSeminarians by Mrs. Judith Bakakimpa Nalongo, Fr. Joseph Bukyanandi andteamOCTOBER 2020Thursday 1 st to Saturday 10 th 4 by 4 Preached-Directed Retreat (First4 days preached. Topic will be determined by the felt needs of the majority.Last 4 days of personalized accompaniment)Fr. J. Peter Alenyo, MCCJSaturday 10 th COMBONI DAYHalf day recollection and lunch for Clergy and Religious.11 th to 30 th - Center freeNOVEMBER 2020Tuesday 3 rd to Thursday 12 th Directed Retreat. Fr. Peter AlenyoMonday 16 th - Wednesday 25 th - Annual Retreat for Comboni Missionaries26 th to 29 th - Workship for Catholic Women Action. Miss Irene Abwot and TeamDECEMBER 2020Tuesday 1 st to Saturday 5 th Re-evaluation Counselling Workshop.Thursday 10 th to Saturday 19 th . Annual Retreat for Missionary Sisters ofMary Mother of the Church: Novices and Jubilerians. Fr. Bernard MegnihoueMCCJ, Sr. Margaret Pirango, LSMIG, Sr. Doreen Oyella, SHS, Sr. AngellaLimiyo MCMMCJANUARY 2021Monday 4 th to Wednesday 13 th . Directed RetreatFr. J. Peter Alenyo, MCCJ14 th to 31 st - Center freeTHE PROGRAMS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED ARE CONFIRMED AND ARE ALREADY FULLY BOOKED.*Retreat Guides on standby. Any of the following Directed Retreat Guides will be called upon when at least 3persons request for them early enough.Sr. Margaret Pirango LSMIG, Sr. Margaret Uraa MSMMC, Sr. Doreen Oyela SHS, Sr. Angela Limiyo, MSMMC; Sr.Pasqua Binen SHS, Sr. Nancy Koke RSCJ, Miss Linda Isyagi, Sr. Jo Wright RSCJ, Fr. Ramon Vargas MCCJ, Fr. Arnold deSchaetzen, M. Afr. Fr. Joseph Bukyanandi or any other suggested by you.Arrival is in the evening of the first date indicated from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Departure is after breakfast on thelast day indicated.COSTS:• Sh. 100,000: Executive Full board. All Food and drinks ordered according to personal taste. Laundry services.Free Wi-fi. Full use of all available facilities.• sh. 70,000: per person per day. Ordinary Full board. 5 meals. Snacks available at all times. Free wi-fi, full use ofavailable facilities.• Sh. 45,000: full board for prayer activities 4 meals. No wi-fi. Full use of available facilities.• Discount rate of Sh. 350,000 for eight days’ retreat.• Bedsheets, towels, slippers, bathing soap are provided.For more information and booking call the Director: Fr. John Peter Alenyo, MCCJ 0774033247 or 0702581282. (also a Whatsup number)E-mail jopeale@yahoo.com Or the Coordinator: Mr. Otto Bartholomeo, a Comboni Lay Missionary at 0774423208 or 0758978197
Page 1 and 2: ISSUE NO. 601 APRIL 2020FOR CHRISTI
Page 3 and 4: PREVIOUS ISSUE6News Highlightsstori
Page 5 and 6: Prayer of Pope on Good Friday1. As
Page 7 and 8: Dozen arrested overcoronavirus fake
Page 9 and 10: UNOC startscompetitive supplyof pet
Page 11 and 12: Pope appointments Bishop of KituiLe
Page 13 and 14: COVER STORYus how Jesus gives meani
Page 15 and 16: SOCIETY 1hectares of forest cover i
Page 17 and 18: SOCIETY IIany sign or symptoms of a
Page 19 and 20: CHURCHFr. Jjumba James, Parish Prie
Page 21 and 22: CHURCHSecretarial students attend l
Page 23 and 24: When anegative selfevaluationis goo
Page 25 and 26: PLANTS & PEOPLELavanduladentata(Lav
Page 27 and 28: MISSIONhe immediately fell in love
Page 29 and 30: PERSONALITYhis approval. Giuseppe s
Page 31 and 32: EDUCATIONPhoto:InternetManagement s
Page 33 and 34: ENTERPRENURSHIP“A tour aroundKaja
Page 35 and 36: YOUTHLearn New SkillsCWM youth desk
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Page 39 and 40: HEALTHairplanes from endemic countr
Page 41: CULTURE/ENTERTAINMENTsetup, he emba

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