Bus owners call off strike, resume operations

By PATRICK JARAMOGI, SIMON MASABA & ANDREW SSENYONGA

Bus owners Wednesday called off their strike that had paralyzed the entire country after they pulled off their buses from operations due what they termed as “victimization” by the Transport Licensing Board (TLB).

The strike that left a sizeable number of passengers including students reporting for new term stranded in leading bus parks and routes across the country followed the cancellation of licenses to four bus companies.

The companies include Kalita Bus Company, Kampala Hoppers, Kasamba and Zawadi. The Ministry of Works and Transport suspended the operations licence for Kalita Bus Company following the latest accident in which one of its buses claimed three lives, leaving nine with serious injuries.

But in a heated four-hour meeting with the Minister for Works and Transport Abraham Byandala and state minister for Transport Steven Chebrot, the over 100 bus owners described as harassment the move by TLB to cancel licences of entire fleet even when only one bus gets involved in an accident.

“It is only bus that got involved in the accident but now all my entire 50 buses are packed, is that fair to me as a businessman? What about the hundreds of passengers who use those buses?” asked Patrick Lucky proprietor of Kalita Buses? He told Byandala and Chebrot that they would only resume once the ban on operations of the four bus companies are lifted.

The bus owners accused TLB of delaying to issue route charts and for being harsh on bus owners.
“As bus owners we don’t issue driving permits, it should be police to screen drivers and ascertain their worth,” said Evans Gawaya of Muhabura Coaches.

Byandala said the cause of accidents was due human errors such as drivers who drive when drunk and tired. “We shall not allow drivers to make two long routes for the sake of our passengers,” he said.

“I will have a meeting with TLB to have the ban lifted, but I appeal that you order your buses back on the road for the sake of thousands of passengers stranded,” asked Byandala.

  “We shall only resume when you order the ban lifted today,” said Lucky Patrick.

Byandala succumbed to the pressures and said; “I instruct Eng. Denis Sabiti to draft the letter to TLB to lift the ban but on condition that investigations continue. I am doing this as minister for Transport, am ready for PAC (Public Accounts Committee) in case am summoned.”

Byandala promised to meet the TLB to present their grievances ahead of another meeting with the bus owners next week.
“We are resuming operations but on condition that after a week our issues regarding mistreatment at the TLB are sorted out,” said George William Kibungo of Kibungo coaches.

However Acting Commissioner for Roads Eng. Denis Sabiti said defended the board’s decision saying; “The board is concerned about the lost lives and general safety of passengers who travel by your buses, mechanical condition of your fleet and conduct of your drivers.”

He pointed out that it was for the better of entire nation and its nationals that all buses are inspected for road worthiness and suitability to carry passengers.