On Thursday early morning, the streets of Kampala were crowded with people wearing face masks waiting for taxis and buses to take them to town but all was in vain because by 9 am no taxi had appeared on the stages.
Some workers were seen on the streets yawning, others squatting on pavements since they were tired of standing on the roadside.
As Ugandans were stranded on the stages, taxi drivers were also stressed up in Old Kampala Secondary School where they had gone to register their vehicles, a prerequisite to start operations in Kampala.
The drivers were so many yet the officials registering were nowhere to be seen and when the exercise started it was done at a snail’s pace.
The passengers who made it to the taxi park have reported the abnormal rise in taxi fares especially those moving long distances.
According to the Presidential directive made on 1st June 2020, public transport was to start operation on Thursday 4th June 2020.
The forty-two border districts are to wait for another 21 days in a measure meant to stem the spread of COVID-19 from neighbouring countries.
Uganda instituted a lockdown that started on 21st March 2020 when the country registered her first case of Coronavirus.
The easing of restrictions on public transport has created excitement among the Ugandans especially those who live in the suburbs of Kampala working in the city centre.
The resumption of the taxis, buses and mini-buses comes after the standard operation procedures – SOPs have been effected to control the spread of the virus.
These include mandatory use of face masks by both passengers and drivers, carrying half the usual capacity to maintain social distance in transit.
However, normal transport fares have been doubled or even tripled. Many Ugandans fear they may not afford the transport fares due to the effects of the lockdown on their income.
The public has requested the government to look into the matter of hiked transport fees to enable them to move about easily.
Some commuters say that they will continue with their routine walking to and from the city centre as long as the fees remain unaffordable.
“We have no choice but to continue walking from home to our workplaces, after all, we are becoming used to this situation,” Namaganda a shop keeper told our reporter along City Square.
Despite the restrictions on Boda Boda transport throughout the country, some areas have reported a marked rise of local residents defying the directive.
In Tororo district, Boda Boda riders still carry not only Cargo as directed by the President but passengers.
In Kampala and Wakiso districts, Boda Bodas are fade up with the lockdown. They have started carrying passengers in complete disregard of the directive.
They claim that the 21 days given by the president are too many yet they have to work. They have wives and children who need to be provided for.
Bus drivers also say that they will operate till 2 pm because if they transport passengers beyond this time they are most likely to be caught up in the 7 pm curfew.
Night travels look unlikely for now, passengers moving distances must reach the bus stages very early in the morning to avoid getting stranded.
As Uganda continues its fight against #Coronavirus, most believe those taxi drivers and their passengers in taxi parks will not be able to observe social distancing.
In Natete taxi park, police officers were struggling with taxi drivers to force them to observe social distancing guidelines.
This is just the first day, what will is to happen in the coming weeks as more people flock the city from villages?
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