In a two-page petition to Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, some Ugandans have signalled their frustration over the high public transport fares.
“Ever since social distancing was introduced in public transport, fares were increased; some were doubled and others tripled. At first it was bearable but in the long run most Ugandans cannot maintain life with the high transport charges,” Onesmus Muwanga, the key petitioner, told the prime minister, in a petition written on January 4 and received by the premier’s office on the same day.
When government eased some Covid-19-induced lockdown restrictions in June last year, taxis were allowed back on the road but on condition that they carry half capacity. That meant a 14-persons seater taxi could only carry about seven passengers and that led to the spike in transport fares to cater for the unoccupied seats. Some taxi drivers doubled and others tripled the fares.
“…someone who used Shs 10,000 to come to town now uses 30,000 per day and another who used Shs 1,000 to come to town now uses 3,000,” the petition reads in part.
“In truth these hiked transport charges are squeezing the poor and middle-income earners; I don’t know whether you feel and share our pain but in truth we are spending the little we earn on transport…” Muwanga said.
In contrast, Muwanga said, police, KCCA enforcement officers on patrol and laypeople in private cars don’t practice social distancing.
“…this has left Ugandans wondering whether lay Ugandans are more susceptible to the pandemic than the police and law enforcement and private car owners...” “To make it worse, already some taxis carry full capacity but [maintain] the Covid prices, taking advantage of the poor…” he said.
Interviewed for a comment, Benson Muhindo, a resident of Gayaza, who recently got a new job in Kabalagala, said he spends about Shs 20,000 on transport each day.
He said a boda ride to the stage costs Shs 1,000. A taxi to town costs Shs 5,000 and from the city centre to Kabala-gala he pays Shs 4,000. The return journey costs the same amount.
He said he spends about Shs 400,000 each month, which greatly eats into his monthly salary. He said he can’t adequately fend for his family in Kasese, pay rent and keep some money for his upkeep. Nancy Amoding lives in Kitintale and works in Makerere. She said if she gets to the road early like at 6:30 am, she pays Shs 3,000 to town.
After 7 am, she pays between Shs 4000 and Shs 5,000 and Shs 1,000 to Wandegeya. She said she cannot leave her house if she doesn’t have Shs 15,000 in her bag for transport. She is forced to carry lunch or skip it altogether. In the evening, she said, taxi fares are doubled, yet taxi drivers pick passengers along the way to fill vacant seat.
She said they make a kill. A colleague who stays in Kibuli said he walks from home to Shell Jinja Road where he gets a taxi of Shs 3,000 to our offices in Kamwokya. To get home, he walks to Shell Jinja Road and gets onto a taxi of Shs 2,000.
He needs about Shs 10,000 each day for transport, which he cannot afford. During rush hours when traffic officers are more into managing traffic and less mindful of overloaded taxis, no single operating procedure is followed, leaving passengers at a risk of catching the coronavirus and also draining their earnings in the name of reaching your destination before curfew time.
Taxis currently carry eight passengers take an example of Gayaza road where a trip with eight passengers fetches Shs 40,000 slightly higher than the amount collected even when they used to carry passengers at full capacity of fourteen people which leaves them at an advantage regardless of the situation.
This situation has led to private car owners in a better position as public transport fares supersede the fuel used by private car owners on a daily and weekly basis.
My Starlet with 1.3cc consumes fuel of Shs 50,000 a week, weekends inclusive, which amount is less than that spent on transport fares by most public transport users in five days.
With cumulative confirmed cases of Covid-19 deaths standing at 316, confirmed cases of Ugandans with Covid-19 at 38,806 and 13,699 recoveries Ugandans ought to take personal measures to protect themselves from catching the virus.