A Spin Off for Uganda’s Informal Traders

Uganda banned the use of public and private transport in late March to curve the spread of COVID-19.  With the ban on cars, the country has seen a boom in demand for bicycles. While most Ugandan workers are worried about losing their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic, business is booming for bicycle repairman Kiyemba Musiri. He says he has really benefited from the lockdown. He says because generator and lawn mowing machine owners have not been coming, he got more people asking for bicycles. He says he had lots of bicycle stock and sold them all.  It’s been very profitable, he says, and he has achieved so much these weeks that he’d only hoped to do in the future. Uganda’s March lockdown to curb the virus included a ban on motor vehicles — both public and private — for nonessential personnel. Uganda earlier this month eased the lockdown by allowing skilled laborers, such as factory workers, mechanics and builders back to work.

SOURCE: VOA