Mothers camped at Usafi Taxi Park, stranded due to hike in transport fares

Whereas public transport has been lifted, mothers who delivered babies during the lockdown and camped at Usafi Taxi Park are stranded due to hike in rates.

Over 200 people, including expectant mothers, children and People Living with HIV/AIDs, had camped at the park during the country's lockdown.

Some of the homeless were believers who came from places of worship, including churches and mosques around the city and those who used to sleep around markets.

They recently said they were homeless because the country was still in a lockdown, besides they did not have transport to take them back to their respective homes.

President Yoweri Museveni last week said: "From June 4, public transport such as buses, taxis, passenger trains carrying only 50% as per earlier measure may operate. All users of public transport must wear masks covering their mouth and nose, all the time."

However, the same services remain suspended in for the next 21 days, in the 40 border districts, due to infiltration from neighbouring countries

The spokesperson of Usafi Taxi Park, Joshua Sekabira, said the distressed mothers did not know the whereabouts of their husbands, a reason why they camped at the park.

Sekabira said they had endeavoured to transport some of the people who have been staying at the park back to their homes. He added that the remaining people at the park are some of the mothers who delivered during the lockdown and camped there.

"We have managed to transport some of the people who were stranded. We are also planning to contact churches and mosques to take some of the people who came from the places of Worship," he said

Irene Mirember, 21, who also delivered a baby girl during the lockdown said: "I was selling second-hand clothes for someone. After the announcement of the lockdown, my boss chased me because the market was closed and, therefore, had no money to pay me.

"I decided to come here because I had no alternative and the man who impregnated me disappeared. I would have gone back to Kyenjejo were I come from, but I don't have a single coin .

Stella Nakanwagi, a resident of Mityana district, is also stuck with her new-born baby. She appealed to well-wishers to help her cater for her transport.

Monica Musiime, 19, said her husband died in late February after he was hit with an Iron bar in Ndejje and thereafter, they took the body for burial in Rukungiri. She said after the burial, her in-laws advised her to pick the house property and return to Rukungiri.

Musiime who gave birth during the lockdown, claims that when she returned, she found when everything was stolen from the house and, therefore, decided to camp at Miracle Centre. She said although they have lifted public transport, she does not have money to transport her back home.