Boda boda cyclists in Kisoro district have opposed President Yoweri Museveni’s guiding principle of record keeping for all the passengers they engage with.
While addressing the nation last night, the president got rid of the restriction of limiting commercial motorcyclists to carrying luggage only, and allowed them to carry just one passenger, come July 27.
Among other things, the president allowed salon operators to resume work, as well as a few arcades which were found to fulfill the requirements.
Night time curfew was extended to between 9pm and 5:30am, while, still locked out of operations are schools, houses of prayer, bars, night clubs and airports.
Boda bodas will starting July 27 be expected to carry passengers, but be required to record particulars of every passenger they carry. This will include registering their Names, Telephone contact and National Identity Card number.
Cyclists are also conditioned to wear a face mask and a helmet, as the passenger wears a mask also, and both should sanitize before and after the ride. Every rider should have a temperature gun to take the passenger’s temperature, and their operations should stop at 6pm.
When Voice of Muhabura spoke to operators from different stages in Kisoro town, they watered down the new guideline of recording particulars of their customers, saying most of them can’t read and write.
“Some of us can’t even read or write down our names, and the President wants us to write other people’s names. However, we are happy that he has allowed us to resume work.
We shall put on masks and helmets but registering customers will not work,” said Hagumimana Phillip who operates at Kindly stage.
Another rider said, “We are grateful to Museveni for really thinking about us. Four months in lockdown without work was very disturbing. Government should however monitor our boarders to curb down illegal entrance of foreigners because they may infect our people,” He added.
Kenneth Duhimbaze who operates at Catholic Church stage said that it will be too difficult for them to buy the temperature guns which they have not even seen in their lives.
“Shall we even have the time to go through such procedures when we are fighting for the customer?” wondered Duhimbaze.
Batamukoraho Baker, the secretary general for Kisoro United Boda boda Operators (KUBO) is however optimistic that boda boda riders will manage to register their customers.
He emphasized its importance in locating any suspect or case of Covid-19.
Saloon operators on the other hand expressed gratitude, but made reservations on possession of the required facilities like temperature guns, face shields and sanitizers. They say that with the much time they have spent without work, they can’t afford to procure them. They now remain at the mercy of their employees to offer such facilities.
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