Traffic jam hits Kampala as private cars return on streets

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala has marked an increase in traffic congestion along the major junctions as private cars returned on the roads with the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

URN journalists were in Kamwokya, Kalerwe, Bwaise and Wandegeya and found that unlike during the lockdown, the roads were congested with private cars back on the road with the easing of the COVID-19 Presidential directives.

The police had also deployed to enforce the directive on mandatory masks for the occupants in the vehicles.

For the last two months, both private and public cars have been off the road after the president had announced a total ban on the movement of vehicles across the country in late March.

In his recent address last week, President Yoweri Museveni allowed private cars to operate again on June 26th,2020 but strictly having three people including the driver. He also said that people should strictly put on face masks once in public.

For public transport, Museveni said that they will have to wait for two weeks until June 2nd when the distribution of masks across the country has been effected. On resuming, buses, taxis will be required to carry half of their normal capacity to avoid overcrowding.

However, the restriction on public transport is still continuing for another 21 days in all border districts with Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda among others.

In an interview with URN, Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson said that currently, people are complying to the directives according to the information from the police officers at different check points.

Onyango also noted on issues concerning curfew that police is set to impound vehicles and arrest the owners who will be driving past curfew time without taking excuses of traffic jam.

He cautions motorists to budget their driving hours making sure they are home in time.

The curfew was extended for 21 days by the president beginning from 7:00 pm to 6:30 am.

The head of police stations in Kalerwe, Frank Ayo told URN that they have deployed 10 traffic police personnel in Kalerwe to control the traffic and spot people who will be defying the directives of the President put in place to combat the spread of coronavirus.

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URN