MPs ask gov’t to find solution to entry of truck drivers into Uganda

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of Members of Parliament have tasked the government to come up with lasting solutions to address the entry of truck drivers into the country.

This was during plenary session on Friday chaired by Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga.

Last night, Uganda registered 11 positive cases of coronavirus, the highest in a single day.

Those who tested positive include, six truck drivers from Tanzania and five from Kenya bringing the total of the country’s confirmed cases to 74.

Jacob Oboth, the West Budama South MP raised a matter of National Importance saying that the government has since March handled the COVID-19 crisis well with the country recording several recoveries but the new cases from truck drivers is a cause for worry.

Oboth said that the people at the border districts are vulnerable to the truck drivers and the continued interactions will endanger Ugandans.

Rose Mutonyi, the Bubulo West MP said that in her constituency, residents are demanding the truck drivers from Kenya to first be tested at Mombasa before entering into Uganda.

Kadaga said that the issue of truck drivers had been raised several times in parliament. She asked the Finance Minister to update the country on the government’s response.

Finance Minister Matia Kasaija told Parliament that government was already in discussions on the matter. He pleaded for time to allow the government time to conclude the on-going cross-border consultations and report back by Monday.

Speaking on Friday during the flagging off vehicles donated by different people and organisations towards the fight against Covid-19, President Museveni said that Uganda can’t afford to stop truck drivers from entering the country since it is a landlocked country.

Museveni said Uganda’s solution lays in making sure that the truck drivers that are allowed in the country are free of the virus.

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