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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Arua has cautioned public transport operators against failure to observe the Standard Operating Procedures- SOPs and COVID-19 preventive guidelines following the resumption of public transport in the area.
On Friday, the Ministry of Health lifted the ban on public transport in Arua, three months after it was banned following the outbreak of COVID-19.
Richard Ekulu the RPC West Nile who led the inspection of all bus terminals and taxi parks on Wednesday warned the operators to avoid making stopovers in ungazetted places.
He explains that police will deploy detectives at all public transport terminals to ensure that there is compliance with the covid-19 preventive guidelines and passengers from DRC and South Sudan will not be allowed to board and travel.
During the inspection, security personnel were concerned about the congestion at California Bus terminal and the absence of temperature guns to measure the body temperature of all travelers
Bob Asea the manager California Bus service Arua says the congestion was due to accumulated cargo which the company is set to address in addition to encouraging passengers to report 15 minutes to departure.
According to Zahara Khemis of YY coaches, due to the lockdown and the subsequent strict guidelines, they have been forced to raise fares from 35,000 to 70,000 shillings from Arua to Kampala. He adds that the high bus fares have affected the passenger turns up.
The RDC Arua Nahori Oya has warned the security personnel at the borderlines to ensure no foreigner crosses to board buses in Arua and warned that any company found carrying prohibited persons shall face the law.
Last month, President Museveni re-opened public transport in 35 border districts which did not register COVID-19 cases.
He however said that districts that include Arua, Rakai, Kyotera, Amuru, Buikwe and others were still under investigations because they had potential clusters of COVID-19 infections.
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