Inter-district travel lockdown begins

By Charles Katabalwa

11^th June 2021

Security has been heightened at district boundaries across the country following the ban on inter-district travel.

On Sunday, President Museveni ordered the suspension of inter-district public transport for 42 days effective Friday, except for Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts as one of the measures to curb the spread of corona virus.

Uganda is currently experiencing the second wave of a deadly strain of covid-19 that has already left dozens dead with hundreds of daily infections being registered across several districts.

Hours after the travel ban came to effect, there has been the heavy deployment of armed police officers and Uganda People’s Defence Forces soldiers (UPDF) and the erection of roadblocks at various district boundaries across the country.

Taxi operators along the Kampala-Jinja highway and Gayaza Bugerere road have shifted their operations to areas near the district boundaries.

To stop taxis crossing from Mukono to Buikwe, the police have mounted a roadblock at Kikondo-Namagunga and another at Buyira-Nkokonjeru to block movements connecting to Katosi road.

Another checkpoint has been set up at the Nile Bridge at Njeru to stop taxis from Jinja City to Buikwe and along the Gayaza-Bugerere road, the major checkpoint is at the Ssezibwa Bridge.

Taxis are dropping passengers to the new illegal stages located about 100 metres from the checkpoints. Only travellers wearing masks cross the checkpoints by foot to access taxis parked at the opposite side.

Bus and taxi parks in Gulu City have this morning been deserted as transport operators heed to the Presidential directive to ban inter-district movements to control the spread of Covid-19.

Patrick Bongomin, the Manager of Makome Bus Company and Bernard Omugo, the Manager of Larem Bus Safaris said they have parked all their fleets with exception of cargo trucks.