Security agencies condemn taxi operators over high transport fares

The joint security team has condemned public transport operators for hiking transport fare during this difficult time expressing concern that most of the passengers have not been working for almost two months.

These remarks came as a result of public outcry over high transport fare that has crippled the movement of the majority of passengers to different destinations as the country maintains the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

While addressing the journalists at Uganda media centre, Frank Baine, the spokesperson Uganda Prisons Service, said since the opening up of public transport, many Ugandans are being exploited unfairly asking the government to intervene.

"Where they are supposed to charge Shs 5,000 they are charging Shs 10,000. I think we need the media to expose these transporters who are hiking the fares unnecessarily. I would like to call it corrupt tendency from the pubic transport sector," he said.

He noted that these transporters should not be allowed to continue mistreating Ugandans in such a manner yet most people are trying to get back on their feet due to the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We condemn such action in the strongest terms because we are all affected in the same way. Please transporters kindly put your house in order, observe the guidelines because if we don't do what is expected from us, the law is in place, "he said.

Fred Enanga, the spokesperson Uganda police forces, said that there are fears that Uganda could be on the cusp of a spike in COVID 19 cases thanks to the laxity by the population to observe all the precautionary measures.

"The public should know that we are amid the pandemic and any mistake could easily lead us into a second wave of the Covid-19. We should, therefore, avoid any risky behavior that could lead to a spike in new cases," he said.