Fights erupt as public enforces Covid-19 rules

Operators of public service vehicles and traders in the city centre yesterday started enforcing the Health ministry standard operating procedures (SOPs) aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19.
Taxi and boda boda operators mounted roadblocks on major routes in the city where they arrested their colleagues who did not have sanitisers, masks or were carrying excess passengers.

Vehicles of suspected violators were impounded and in some instances fights erupted between enforcers and passengers.

Mr Rashid Ssekindi, the chairperson of Kampala Operational Taxi Stages Association, said they took charge after realising that the law enforcement personnel were not doing the job yet the cases are rising.

He said they feared government could be compelled to declare another lockdown.

Fault police
“Police were called to enforce the regulations, but they did not act. We saw that violation of the standard operating procedures was going to affect us if the government announced another lockdown. That is why we decided to come in,” Mr Ssekindi said.

On Sunday, Ms Judith Nabakooba, the Minister of Information, said they had noticed violation of the guidelines.

By yesterday, the country had registered 2,363 cases of coronavirus and 22 deaths.

Most of the cases are attributed to violation of the guidelines in public.

Mr Kiviri Kanyike, the chairperson of Kampala Metropolitan Boda boda Entrepreneurs, said they ensured each motorcyclist wore a mask and a helmet with a windscreen and also carried a sanitiser.

“In government meetings, we had agreed that a boda boda cyclist cannot carry a passenger who isn’t wearing a mask, but many of our colleagues have been violating it. Today (Monday), no one was allowed to violate the regulations under our watch,” Mr Kanyike said.

By 10am, the operations had started getting resistance from some violators, which police feared could cause violence. Police summoned the enforcing groups and ordered them to stop the illegal operations.

Mr Kanyike said police told them that any operation must be police-led.

Mr Ssekindi said it was good that police had woken up.

“Taxis were violating the regulations yet police have roadblocks all over. The violators have been driving through those roadblocks without being arrested. Since they have woken up, they should carry out their work diligently,” he said.

Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire urged the public to report violators of SOPs instead of carrying out arrests.

[email protected]