Bus fares for festive season hiked

By Charles Katabalwa

21^st Dec 2021

Bus operators have hiked transport fares as the Christmas season draws closer citing increasing fuel and spare part prices.

This comes weeks after the Works and Transport Minister, General Edward Katumba Wamala rejected earlier attempts by the Uganda Bus Owners Association to increase the transport fares by between Shillings 5000 and 10,000.

Following the easing of the nationwide lockdown, transporters increased their fares to compensate for the loss of some travelers since they were required to carry half capacity.

It is on the revised fare that the transporters have now increased between Shillings 5,000 and 10,000.

For example, prior to the lockdown, bus operators that plied the Mbale-Kampala route would charge between Shillings 18,000 and Shillings 20,000.

Following the introduction of the Standard Operating Procedures, the operators revised the fares from 20,000 to 35,000 Shillings but they have again hiked the fares to Shillings 40,000.

Saturday Muhwezi, the manager of Kisenyi Bus terminal justifies the increment, saying it is meant to cater for the hiked fuel prices.

He adds that business is low because many people moved to the villages due to the lockdown and have never returned to the city.

He reveals that there is only 15 percent passenger flow compared to the period prior to the lockdown where the operators could hire buses from the government to carry excess travelers during Christmas festivities.

James Ogwang, the Operations Manager YY coaches says that, unlike the past season, they have also increased fares to all destinations by Shillings 5,000 because of increased fuel prices.