Bar, restaurant owners association petition Kadaga over reopening

Club, restaurants and entertainment owners association have petitioned the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga seeking a phased reopening of the entertainment sector.

The Association led by their chairperson Tesfalem Gherathu says that with over 70,000 bars, lodges and restaurants closed since March, an estimated five million people have been rendered jobless.

Gherathu told Kadaga that they are failing to pay back loans while others are being evicted from premises for failing to pay arrears. According to Gherathu, the closure has affected other service providers who include farmers who supply products to breweries, food, manufacturers of tissue and detergents among others.

Barbara Natukunda, the proprietor Texas club in Nsambya and a hotel in Kabalagala says that she has lost more than 100 million shillings since the lockdown. She says the government should allow them to operate until 10:00 pm.

Singh Katongole, a bar and restaurant owner says that they are under pressure from landlords who are demanding for rent arrears.

Patrick Musinguzi the publicity secretary of the association says the closure of the industry has caused them a loss of over 20 billion shillings and want the government to intervene.

Kadaga promised to look into the matter after studying the extent to which the people in the entertainment sector have been affected.

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