Buganda Pub Bar charged shs3000 on day one as entry fee.
By Okot Lil Romeo
Gulu – January 28, 2022: Last part of Uganda’s economy fully reopened on Monday January 24 after two years of closure due to Covid-19 and imposed restrictions by the government.
TND News Lil Okot took a walk in the night on Monday to see how revelers and bar owners were prepared. There were visibly no too many people going to hangout places, some streets were empty, Okot reports.
Out of more than 20 popular bars, only 10: Buganda Pub, BJZ, Password, Club Terminal, Wine Garage, For You, Pier A2, The Covenant, The Arhaps, Cue Bar opened on first day.
At Buganda Pub, a well-known spot, people were paying shs3000 as entry fee. BJZ, For You and others were allowing free entry.
James Akena is the owner of ‘Plan B bar’ and a washing bay in Gulu City. He explained that the reopening of night economy including bars is “just by name”.
“People [we] are waiting for the president to speak to the nation and reopen it officially. Some bar owners are confused if this is official because no speech from the president,” Akena told TND News.
Akena said many parents who are their customers have spent too much money to send their children back to school; this has contributed to law turn up of customers.
He, however, added that stopping Boda-bodas from carrying customers beyond 7 pm contributed to low customers on first day.
According to Akena, some bar owners are running out of finance to reopen their bars after years of lock-down without any business.
Daniel Ochola is the manager of BJZ who said we are doing well. “We are following SOPs and we expect good numbers of customers during weekend.”
“BJZ has its own culture of treating their customers; we are still going to maintain our prices of drinks to keep customers, we have enough staff to serve the customers well,” he added.