Thousands jobless after bus strike
The Military Police personnel enforce security inside the Namayiba Bus Terminal as bus operators downed their tools to strike over the parking fees levied by the Kampala Capital City Authority August 23, 2023. PHOTO/ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
- Alfred Ainebyoona, a bus driver, said he had nowhere else to get money from to fend for his family because this is his sole job.
The decision by all bus operators to suspend operations has left thousands of Ugandans temporarily jobless.
As the strike settles into its third day, thousands of these people whose livelihood depends on the operation of the buses are now without what was a usually reliable means to fend for their families.
Among those affected include, ton boys/men, drivers, touts, luggage carriers, food vendors, mobile money agents, wheelbarrow pushers, kiosk owners and boda boda riders, among others.
It is estimated by the Uganda Bus Owners Association (Uboa) that on average, up to 10,000 people earn a living in Uganda from or through the bus transport business.
The bus operators have gone on strike, expressing their discontent over a new tax they must pay to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
Legal provisions
Under the amended regulations to sections of the local government law, which were enacted in 2020, KCCA must charge every individual operating a medium omnibus Shs2.4 million per year.
When our reporter visited the six bus terminals in Kampala, including Global buses, Kisenyi Buses, Namayiba Bus Terminal, Link Bus Terminal, Tausi Bus Terminal and Kalita Bus Terminal, food vendors were not making money.
Mr Nelson Sekandi, the Namayiba Bus Terminal manager, said the strike has affected many people.
“In the parks, there are many kinds of jobs and so many people have been affected and they are not working. These include wheelbarrow pushers, luggage carriers, offloaders, boda boda riders who carry passengers to the bus parks and cars for special hire. All of these people benefit from those bus operations,” he said.
Affected
Ms Aisha Namande, a food vendor, said her business has taken a severe hit over the past 48 hours because her customers, who are the travellers, were not available.
“I always make good money from the travellers because they always eat before travelling, but now business is not there because there are no customers, maybe I have to look for them elsewhere,” Ms Namande said.
Mr Alfred Ainebyoona, a bus driver, said he had nowhere else to get money from to fend for his family because this is his sole job.
“I just have to wait for how negotiations will go, but until we start working again, we are now jobless, so those responsible should speed up the process because we have families to feed,” Mr Ainebyoona said.
