COVID-19: Leaders of commuter taxis warn drivers on SOPs

PUBLIC TRANSPORT |

As the government prepares to open schools, commuter taxis leaders have warned drivers against defaulting the Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs).

The chairperson Kampala Operational Taxi Stages Association (KOTSA) Rashid Sekindi, while addressing different stage leaders under their umbrella organization, warned drivers and conductors who load outside the taxi parks. He said when schools open, the government will closely monitor them.

"Schools are preparing to open on October 15 and we have discovered that some drivers and conductors have already started faulting government set SOPs but we shall not hesitate from blocking them," Sekindi warned.

He told leaders from Kisenyi, Usafi, Namayumba, and New Park, among others to emphasize the SOPs in their parks lest the industry faces a second closure.

 "We have some notorious drivers who load outside the parks, they do not have sanitizers, do not wear masks and are defaulting the SOPs set by the government, we shall not hesitate to put them out of the business. We suffered a lot during the COVID-19 lockdown," Sekindi said.

He also warned drivers who are deliberately hiking prices, which he said is wrong, arguing that since the third seat is paid for by the two passengers who share the seat there is no need for hiking fares.

In his 14th address on COVID-19, President Yoweri Museveni lifted the ban on public and private transport.

Commuter taxis were June 2 allowed to start operating on condition that they only carry half the capacity, wear masks and carry sanitizers in their vehicles.

Some commuter taxis have, however, stopped observing the SOPs.

"We are planning to have an operation with the police in which we shall arrest such people," Sekindi added.