Multiple bus companies’ officials have Tuesday night been apprehended by State House Anti-Corruption Unit boss Col. Edith Nakalema for overcharging travellers leaving Kampala to upcountry villages.
Among the travelers include school going children who were stranded within the bus terminals for two days for lacking the obscene money charged to access the buses.
There was a crisis in downtown Kampala.
For example, transport companies which own buses that ply Kampala and Western Uganda tripled the transport costs.
For a passenger to board Global Bus from Kampala to Mbarara, he or she was required to cough shs 100,000. Initially the bus charged 40,000.
From Kampala to Ibanda, Baby Coaches asked for 150,000 while from Kampala to Kabale a passenger was required to pay shs 180,000.
As a result, passenger who couldn’t afford that money were left languishing in the bus parks.
This compelled Col. Nakalema to swing in action on Tuesday and apprehended several bus companies’ officials for doing injustice to Ugandans.
Further police has offered to facilitate the travelling of school children who were stranded in downtown Kampala by providing police buses to take them home.
Equally the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Works had resolved to meet officials of these bus companies to harmonise on how to take passengers to upcountry.
Government has since waived curfew for only buses and taxis travelling to villages until June 10.
