Displaced civilians await relief food distribution in Pibor | File photo

Some members of the public have criticized the government for not living up to its words after promising a door-to-door food distribution.

Last month, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs announced that it will, in collaboration with the World Food Program, start a door-to-door food distribution in South Sudan.

This was in preparation for possible Covid-19 outbreak, which has been confirmed in the neighboring countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan.

The pandemic has affected work and economy after President Salva Kiir announced preventive measures which include the closure of non-essential businesses and the banning of all social gatherings.

Bodabodas have also been banned from transporting passengers and public buses are permitted to take passengers to half capacity as the government tries to contain the spread of Coronavirus infections countrywide.

The high-level task force said it observed that hawkers continue to go about their businesses and buses, Noah Taxis, rickshaws and boda-bodas continue to carry excess passengers.

It said this poses a potentially significant risk of spreading the coronavirus.

The committee, however, resolved to ban boda-bodas from transporting passengers but permits rickshaws to carry only two passengers at a time and deliver cargo goods.

Some regional countries-Rwandan and Uganda have started offering free foodstuffs after announcing a total lockdown.

In South Sudan, a total lockdown has not been announced, despite the confirmation of four cases of the covid-19.

Some members of the public have raised concerns that the government has neglected them by not providing an alternative to earn a living.

They have also criticized members of the parliament and parties to the revitalized peace agreement for doing little to help address the situation.

“This situation does not help us at all because there are people who rely on a day-to-day business to survive and support their families,” a South Sudanese affected by the government’s measures to prevent the pandemic, told Eye Radio on Wednesday.

“How can you say stay at home and you [gov’t] are not helping? Therefore I appeal to the government to consider the poor ones, the government and WFP should start distributing the door-to-door food they promised last time. We may have another corona called “hunger” because people are not of the same class.”

Another citizen said the government should provide food to all people affected by its coronavirus measures, warning that if they are not helped, “many people will die of hunger.”

“We know very well that the government has sovereignty over the people and the law is also there to protect everyone because everyone has the right to live.”

Many small scale business operators believe that with the closure of businesses, the rate of crimes will increase.

“Even the organized forces, they will soon feel hungry and start looting people. The government has not distributed face masks and other preventive materials and above all, they are mistreating the civilians,” said another affected citizen.