A dozen taxi brokers arrested in Kabale over Covid-19

Kabale, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Police in Kabale in partnership with the management of Kabale Taxi Park have arrested 12 taxi brokers from Kabale town for defying the guidelines put in place by the government to combat the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The suspects were picked from Kabale Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA Taxi Park and Butobere junction on Monday morning at around 09:00am. They are: Mathias Niwamanya, Peter Akandwanirira, Emmanuel Akampa, Arnold Dason Munanura, Moses Sekyanzi, Gaston Kabudwire, Paskari Nkirirehe, Julius Muzoora, Julius Asasire, Benson Taremwa, Wiclef Asiimwe and Frank Kato.

In June this year while easing lockdown, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni allowed public transport to resume their business after being closed for over 75 days. President Museveni however banned brokers in taxi and bus parks to reduce on the congestion as one of the measures to prevent and fight the spread of the pandemic.

Andrew Byamukama, the park manager of Kabale Taxi Park told our reporter that ever since President Museveni opened public transport, the brokers kept a deaf ear and continue to come in taxi parks.  Byamukama says that as a way of reducing congestion in taxi parks, they decided to work with police to ensure that all brokers who have failed to adhere to the presidential  directive be arrested and disciplined.

Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson says that the suspects who were picked from the parks were not only flouting the COVID-19 directives issued by President Museveni, but were also accused of grabbing and stealing passenger’s properties.

Maate says the operations will continue until the public adhere to the presidential directives.

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