Leaders close ungazzetted border points in Busia, Tororo

Authorities in the border districts of Busia, Tororo, Namisindwa and Amudat have ordered the closure of ungazzetted routes as a preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus.
This came after reports indicated that some Ugandans and foreigners mostly from Kenya, where cases of Covid-19, have been confirmed, were entering into the country using illegal entry points for fear of going through mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
“We have formed a taskforce to identify illegal border points, which are reportedly being used by foreigners to cross into the country from Covid-19 already confirmed countries as preventive measures,” Mr Nickson Owole, the Tororo Resident District Commissioner (RDC), told Daily Monitor at the weekend.
The Ministry of Health yesterday announced the first case of coronavirus in the country.
The 36-year-old man had travelled to Dubai on March 17 and reportedly returned to Uganda on Saturday at about 2am aboard Ethiopian airlines.
Mr Owole said they had engaged all chairpersons in the district from the border villages to identify all the existing illegal entry points and deploy security to prevent any entry.
“We have also learnt that along River Malaba, communities have gone an extra mile to improvise temporary bridges that people are currently using to sneak into the country but we are moving to deploy our uniformed officers,’’ he said.
Mr Owole added that he had written to his counterparts in Busia and Namisindwa to take the same measures.
Mr Emmanuel Otim, the Internal Security officer at Malaba border, said they had received intelligence information that travellers were being sneaked into the country through the illegal entry points by boda boda riders.
“Through our network, we have also discovered that those sneaking into the country claim that staying in self-quarantine is very expensive for them,’’ he said.
Dr David Okumu, the Tororo District health officer, said they were creating more screening points for all travellers to avoid congestion.
“Currently, we have only one screening point at Malaba border and this is creating congestion. We are in process of establishing more screening points,” he said.
Dr Okumu added that the taskforce had also set up an isolation centre at Tororo hospital in case of any patient.
When Daily Monitor visited Lwakhakha border in Namisindwa on Friday, there were no hand-washing points or sanitisers. There were also no screening centres and security personnel at the border.
Mr Moses Kigai Wamoto, the RDC said his office had engaged government over the matter.
“We are going to put up measures necessary, including screening and hand-washing points. I have communicated,” Mr Kigai, said, adding that police and other security agencies will deploy heavily at porous borders.
Mr John Robert Ekaju, his Amudat counterpart, said they had also resolved to close entry points.
“We have resolved to strengthen security. We are not taking chances but we ask the Ministry of Health to provide sanitisers and equip our health workers in any case of any outbreak,” he said.