The Ugandan government on Wednesday issued an order that requires all drivers, conductors, and other crew members of public service vehicles to get fully vaccinated or face the risk of not being allowed to operate on roads, reported CGTN Africa.
“Every crew member of a public service vehicle which include a driver and a conductor or turn man and any other crew member must be fully vaccinated,” Transport minister General Edward Katumba Wamala said. “We agreed with the transporters on that one and they are aware.”
The Ugandan minister said traffic officers will ensure that public service vehicle operators strictly comply with the government’s directive. He said traffic officers will do spot-checking and if they find the driver or conductor is not vaccinated, they can order the bus or taxi to not continue on the road.
Wamala also urged people using public transport vehicles to comply with existing health measures such as the wearing of face masks, use of alcohol-based sanitizers, and frequent washing of hands.
A previous government directive that was announced at the end of last month required all public transport travelers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before being allowed to board vehicles.
Wamala said that public transport operators may not be able to verify passengers’ vaccination status as it would be difficult for them to differentiate between genuine and fake vaccination cards.
Public transport vehicles in Uganda were made to operate at 50 percent passenger capacity since June 2021. Recently, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced a reopening of the economy, allowing public service vehicles to operate at 100% capacity.
The 77-year-old president announced that the schools will reopen on January 10, 2021, in line with SOPs directed by the Ministry of Health, and performing arts, cinemas, sports events, bars and events will get opened after 2 weeks.
