Every day, at least 100 trucks transport sand from Kapeeka, Semuto, Kikamulo and Kito sub-counties in Nakaseke district. The sand is sold to construction sites in Kampala city and Wakiso district. But the task force has banned the activities saying that it is impossible to implement protect the workers and communities against the pandemic.
Uganda’s members in the East African Legislative Assembly [EALA] who have been on a fact finding mission at the different border entries, said in some places like Busia, the queue goes for as long as 30 kilometers into Kenya. George Odongo, the chairperson of Uganda’s chapter said it’s important to urgently handle the situation at the border before it spirals out of control.
In a circular this morning, the tax body said trucks carrying cargo shall be permitted to only park inside boarded warehouses or internal container depots. This, URA wrote, does not include roads along the Container Depots and warehouses.
The Foreign Affairs State Minister, Henry Okello Oryem, says the incidents cited in the note are isolated cases and not the official position of Uganda.
The 13 cases were identified from the 2,421 samples collected from truck drivers on May 8th, 2020. According to the break down, 7 of the new cases are Kenyans, 4 Ugandans and 2 Tanzanian nationals.
The highest number of cases was recorded last week when 11 truck drivers tested positive in just one day. Yesterday, another four truck drivers from Tanzania, tested positive pushing Uganda’s COVID-19 Caseload to 79.
Swaib Toko, the Resident District Commissioner Packwach, says that the truck drivers and eight passengers they were travelling with were intercepted on Thursday night at the URA checkpoint.
