The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandans returning into the country without a valid health certificate showing that they tested negative for COVID-19 will be quarantined at their own cost. They will also be required to pay 240,000 Shillings for a COVID-19 test that will be undertaken by an approved laboratory.
While announcing the re-opening of Entebbe International airport, last week, President Yoweri Museveni announced said that all returning passengers must have tested negative for COVID-19 at least 72 hours before travelling to Uganda.
In the implementation of the directive, Fred Bamwesigye, the Acting Director-General, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, says that only Ugandans with certificates will be allowed entry. According to Bamwesigye, arriving passengers must present a valid test certificate issued within 72 hours before boarding aircraft to Uganda while departing passengers must have certificates issued within 120 hours before travel.
Passengers departing Uganda must also be at Entebbe Airport four hours to their flight to enable them to go through the health screening procedures in addition to the existing security regulations. He adds that everyone at the airport is expected to wear a face mask and maintain social distancing.
UCAA has also installed automated sanitizers at various entry and exit points, erected glass shields at immigration and check-in counters to avoid direct interface of airport staff with the passengers. There will also be temperature screening at all points of entry to the airport.
To avoid congestion inside the terminal, flights have been spaced and airlines, except Uganda Airlines which will operate only one flight a day between October to December 2020. 13 flights have also been cleared for the first day while 10 flights are confirmed for the second day after the resumption.
Emmanuel Barungi, the Acting General Manager Entebbe Airport says service providers at the airport will also resume operations in phases.
Before the lockdown, there were 80 service providers at the airport including caterers, taxi and tour operators, and agents for travelling, accommodation, cleaning, clearing, banking and mobile money. Barungi says the majority of the employees for the service providers have been away and will thereby be first tested before they resume operations at the airport.
However, George Wangaya, manager of Awel Tours and Travel Ltd, one of the service providers has reservations about the test.
CAA was collecting revenue of about 20 Billion Shillings a month but it has since dropped to One Billion Shillings.
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