KAMPALA, UGANDA: Police has warned taxi, boda boda operators against complacency and violation of Covid-19 Guidelines in the wake of declining cases of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
The warning comes at a time when public transport operators have resorted to carrying excess passengers as opposed to the half capacity guideline issued by the President through the Ministry of Health.
Speaking to the press at Uganda Media Centre on Monday February 15, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango said that drivers who are caught flaunting the SOPs will be dealt as the law provides.
“In case any driver doesn’t follow these rules, he or she will be charged and arrested for seven years,’’ Onyango said.
Onyango added that the warning goes for private car owners who are using their cars to carry more than four passengers.
“People who use ‘Wish cars’ to carry passengers on the Kampala-Masaka road, instead of carrying four passengers, they carry seven people in a car. You stand warned and whoever will be caught shall be charged accordingly,’’ Onyango said.
He noted that any passenger who willingly boards a car which is already past the recommended capacity will also be charged.
“It is your choice to board any car, however, if you accept to be the ninth person in a taxi, police will arrest you. Even on a boda boda, the second person will be arrested,” he said.
Onyango, on the other hand, commended officials from the Taxi Drivers Association who have employed efforts in the fight against Covid-19.
“We are pleased that right now we are being joined by taxi operatives to fight these crimes,” he noted.
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