The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Malaba, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The cumulative number of foreign truck drivers confirmed with COVID-19 in Uganda rose to 61 Sunday, after the Ministry of health announced five more positive tests. The truck drivers now account for over 50% of Uganda’s positive tests, that stand at 121.
The new cases are two Ugandan and three Kenyan truck drivers who arrived via Elegu and Malaba points of entry.
Of these, 31 truck drivers have returned to their respective countries while the rest are being treated in Uganda.
Following the increasing tests at the borders, and resultant delays, East African Community member states are considering the possibility of testing drivers before they embark on their journeys.
This was disclosed by President Yoweri Museveni while speaking at the second national prayers hosted at State House Entebbe on Saturday.
He said that the East African Community Leaders of Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan and Rwanda and Uganda are in talks to have a common position for drivers to be tested where they are coming from.
The statement came a day after Uganda announced 13 new COVID-19 infections, recorded among truck drivers.
This was the highest number of infections to be recorded by the country in one day, since the confirmation of the virus in March.
Uganda’s caseload now stands at 121 infections, a sizeable number from Kenyan and Tanzanian truck drivers who are entering the country through Malaba, Busia and Mutukula border posts.
Museveni said that instead of testing at the border, the joint teams of the four countries and their health teams will test the truck drivers before they take off from Nairobi and Mombasa.
According to the president, Uganda will insist that only tested drivers should be allowed to access the country. But he reiterated that the region cannot do away with truck drivers because they carry valuable merchandise.
I am now tired of always hearing truck drivers been tested positive ; Are these drivers always tested before they cross the boarder to uganda? According to me govt of UG should have its own drivers free from covid-19 to drive the trucks with the so called vital goods and drive them back to the foreighn drivers as they await at the boarder because the foreighn truck drivers are increasing covid-19 cases in the country.
when opposition says covid19 turned to be a business they are true bse you can not every day fool people truck drivers truck drivers but. i wonder truck drivers brings food we eat here in uganda or ?I see now people stopped working they remained one thing to eat only if it is food it is ok bse you can not survive without food but if it is other goods it is covid19 business
when opposition says covid19 started in china as a pandemic and reached in uganda as a business they are right bse you can not fool people every day truck drivers from malaba sijuyi truck drivers from mutukula. people remained in their homes no working one thing they remained is to eat if these trucks bring food in uganda it is ok bse you can not survive without food but if it is other goods true they want to keep us in such situation so they can gain from it
Well this covid-19 has turned out to be a hide and seek game,truck drivers has become a scapegoat we are dispised,segregated,and treated as untouchables,we don’t enjoy it,we only tolerate, we are always screened from Mombasa enroute to borders almost 8-9 points and when you reach Uganda some are positive!!!.so Mr m7 suggestion of testing drivers before they start their journey will be just a waste of time ,because some will test positive once they reach Uganda!.either something is wrong or the screenings needs to be doubly rechecked, how come those who checked positive are treated and they recover?.people are dying worldwide why Uganda don’t share their cure with other countries where people die of covid-19.I think it is high time to close up borders for 14days to starve off the virus!!!!
Our president claimed its a time to survive, it’s not confort zone.. Then what more important than life. If drivers can’t wait then don’t take the risk.. Most logistics like medical come by flight. Testing drivers from country it port of embarkment may not make sense unless they are driven in convoys and restricted to staying on specific controlled yards.. If you test a driver in Mombasa and he stops on Route to eat or sleep In the lodge, hes/she will have a valid certificate but may have contracted the virus on the way, it’s more risky as this might creat a silent bomb through trust.. The basic solution is having routine tests and rapid verification tests with instant results on the boarders. As they clear goods to. Cross one is checked and by the time hes/she is clears results are out. This should give a deaf ear to life and safety in name of classified or unknown goods
Every one is COVID 19 .who’s temperature does not go high?
Those truck drivers sit for long hours with the engine beneath them.
The coronavirus pandemic is all over the world not only east and central Africa, however the truck drivers are now in a big problem and affecting the business community all over the regions therefore need the long term solution once for all.
To keep all truck drivers for number of days at border would not be sort out the crisis .
Let the leaders sit and reaching out a solution for big crisis at point of border Malaba and Busia .
We are hoping things will be changed soon later