Travelers want public transport regulated

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Each festival season, operators of public transport hike transport to the high volume of travelers. The most affected are travelers to distant routes to the East and the western Uganda where fares more than double.

Transporters take advantage of the absence of checks and balances in the transport industry facilitated by a liberalized economy to exploit travelers. URN spoke to some of travelers who expressed the need to regulate public transport in order to bring an end to what majority said was “unfair treatment.”

Michael Aboneka a resident of Kampala said it doesn’t make sense for taxi and bus operators to wake up and decide their own fares to the detriment of passengers. According to Aboneka, other jurisdictions regulate public transport including standardized fares and wondered why it was not a matter of interest for government and especially so, the transport ministry to regularize public transport.

“We request the transport Ministry to seriously consider this matter and set transport fares in the country. The ministry’s silence has been excessively abused at the expense of citizens who pay painfully,” Aboneka observed.

Patrick Ichen from Alebtong district in Northern Uganda says he failed to travel for Christmas because of the high fares. Ichen says he couldn’t afford transporting his family of six members because of the exorbitant transport fares.

Dr. Derek Muhwezi Banyweine, an Urban Planning Specialist at Makerere University, agrees that government needs to rethink the way public transport is regulated.

Dr. Muhwezi routes for deeper regulation of the public transport sector and recommends classification of buses and associated fares.

He says the government needs to plan for mass transport especially trains to transport people in big numbers especially those in the Metropolitan area and upcountry areas.

Adam Mukasa, a manager and proprietor of Swift Safari Bus Services in Kisenyi Bus Terminal in Kampala, says it is impossible to regulate the transport fares because of the high operational costs.

The 2018 Christmas peak for transport companies was between Friday, and Sunday where fares to many areas tripled as travelers scrambled for tickets. For instance transport to Western increased.

Those travelling to Rukungiri had to pay between Shs65, 000 and 70,000 up from the normal Shillings 30,000 while those travelling up to Kanungu had to part with been between Shillings 80,000-100,000 from Shillings 35,000.

From Kampala to Bwera transport rose from Shillings 30,000 to between Shillings 50,000 and 60,000 while those travelling from Kampala, Ntungamo and Kabale rose from Shillings 30,000 to 60,000 and from Ugx. 40,000 to Ugx. 80,000 for those plying Kisoro route.

Kampala to Hoima rose from Ugx. 15, 000 to Ugx. 30,000, then to Mbarara from Shillings 20,000 to 40,000. Meanwhile, those travelling from Kampala to Ishaka and Bushenyi transport have moved up from Ugx. 25,000 to Ugx. 60,000 while travelers to Ibanda and Kamwenge are paying between Ugx. 60,000 and Ugx. 70,000 up from Ugx. 30,000.

Mukasa of Swift Safaris says despite the increased transport, they have not had more people as it was last year.

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URN