Taxi operators warned against complacency, violation of Covid-19 guidelines

Taxi operators in the country have been warned against complacency and violation of Covid-19 guidelines in the wake of declining cases of Covid-19.

Speaking to the media on Monday,the spokesperson of Kampala Operational Taxi Stages Association (KOTSA) Moses Birungi said many public transport operators have resorted to carrying excess passengers as opposed to the half capacity guideline issued by the government.

"The vehicle should have only 10 people including the taxi driver and the conductor. The passengers should be only 8. You should not over speed when you are carrying the passengers... we were so relaxed and we felt that we might cause trouble for ourselves by compelling the government to lock us again,"he said.

He stressed that all taxi drivers should ensure that there is a sanitiser in their vehicles.

"They should also be mindful of the curfew hours set by the government, but more important ensuring that there is a tank of water and soap for every passenger who boards to wash his or her hands,"he noted.

Speaking to the press at Uganda Media Centre on Monday, Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said that drivers who are caught flaunting the SOPs will be handled according to the law.

He urged those using private transport means not to exceed the minimum number of people they are supposed to carry.

"The law we shall use states that any person who unlawfully does any act which he or she knows that is likely to spread infections of any disease dangerous to life, commits an offence and in case any driver doesn’t follow these rules, he or she will be charged," Onyango said.