With five of the recent confirmed COVID-19 cases being of truck drivers crossing into Uganda, government is in discussion with transport and trade stakeholders on how they can deal with the issue.
Speaking to journalist this morning at Uganda Media Center in Kampala, Internal Affairs Minister Gen. Jeje Odongo said government is looking into the applicability of ‘relay driving’ where drivers only have to drive to certain points and handover.
“We have engaged Trade and transport stakeholders on how convenient ‘relay driving’ can work in this situation. For example one drives the truck from Nairobi to Busia, we disinfect the truck before another driver takes over,” Odongo said.
Odongo said the strategy of drivers waiting for results which take a day to return is not applicable as it will lead to huge crowds at the border points since they receive over 800 trucks a day.
For now, he urged truck drivers to observe the set directive of only parking at designated points by government.
Uganda has 63 cases of COVID-19 after two new cases were confirmed yesterday. These included a 43-year-old Tanzanian truck driver who is a contact to a previously confirmed case and a 35-year-old Tanzanian truck driver who arrived from Tanzania at Mutukula border. 45 people have recovered from the disease.