Lockdown: Buikwe residents denied access to Jinja at Nile bridge

Passengers from Buikwe district to Jinja district are stranded after security forces blocked all those that were traveling to Jinja, including some workers.

By 6am Friday, Police together with UPDF had already set up a road block at the New Nile Bridge and the old bridge stopping all those that were crossing except those with clearance.

The new Nile Bridge and the old bridge are a border for districts of Buikwe and Jinja.

However, most of the people who work in Jinja stay in Njeru Municipality in Buikwe district.

Police is only allowing essential workers and those working in the factories

Mr Waiswa Richard, a boda boda rider in Jinja said: ‘‘This method is not going to work. I sleep in Njeru Municipality and I work in Jinja. Let the president come out and tell us what to do because he never stopped us from working,"Mr Waiswa said.

Jinja City businessman Mr Benard Mukibi suggests that president Museveni should join districts neighbouring Jinja like he did with Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso.

By press time, ‘boda bodas’ and private cars without identification cards related to essential work such as journalism, medical and manufacturing activities were still denied access to Jinja.

Asked to comment on the matter, acting Jinja City DPC, ASP Maurice Niyonzima said they are implementing the presidential directive on an inter district travel ban and no vehicle will be allowed to another district without proper documents.

"We are going to continue with these operations for the next 42 days that were directed by the president," ASP Niyonzima said.