Cargo Trucks packed at Elegu along Uganda –South Sudan Border
“I cannot imagine being infected with Corona virus after following all precautions like washing hands thoroughly with water and soap, keeping a distance, avoiding handshakes, among other things, just to catch the virus from a foreign truck driver who transports the virus all the way to me.” Said a young man as he interacted with a friend
“Could this be a deliberate move by the government to import the virus into the country through these truck drivers?” Another responded thoughtfully
In a bid to prevent the spread of Corona virus, government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health took on the strategy of testing all cargo transporters at Ugandan borders. It is estimated that about 2,500 trucks cross into Uganda from the different border points daily.
The loophole in the government’s measure is that, these cargo transporters are left to continue with their journey as samples from their body undergo testing at the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe. So far, four of the cargo truck drivers have tested positive for Corona virus.
Out of the four cargo truck drivers who have tested positive, two are Kenyan nationals; the other two are Tanzanian and Ugandan nationals respectively. All of them had their test results out after they had penetrated the country and possibly gotten into contact with many people along the way. It takes 24 hours for the Corona virus results to return.
By Thursday 16th April 2020, the Ministry of Health had reported 55 cases of Corona virus out of over 10,000 samples tested since the first case was reported in the country. Of those, over 1,000 samples were from cargo truck drivers.
On Wednesday 14th April 2020, a Corona virus Positive Ugandan truck driver who entered into Uganda from Kenya via Malaba border on April 12th 2020 heading to Elegu Town Council in Amuru district, was blocked from being admitted to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.
He was blocked by a section of leaders in Acholi Sub –Region headed by Mr. Samuel Odonga Otto, the Aruu North Member of Parliament after he had reached Palenga Town Council in Omoro District, 20 kilometres to Gulu town. He was later transported to Entebbe General Hospital where he is currently receiving treatment.
A day after the incident, a team of health workers from Lira Regional Referral Hospital found 33 people had been in contact with the truck driver. They are currently being monitored at Lira Regional Referral Hospital.
Similarly, One Monday 20th April 2020, a Kenyan truck driver who tested positive for Corona virus was intercepted in Elegu at the Uganda-South Sudan border after he had spent three days there. It is however not yet known how many people made contact with.
Mathematically, if the Ugandan truck driver (mentioned above) who tested positive for the virus had contact with 33 people, that means the Kenyan truck driver also had contact with over 30 people putting all of them at risks.
The move by the Ministry of Health to test the cargo truck drivers and leave them to continue with their journey as they wait for their test results has angered a lot of Ugandans. Majority of them say it is a deliberate move by the government to import the virus into the country through cargo truck drivers.
Mr. Museveni however trashed their worries during his April 19th 2020’s nation address on the state of Corona virus in the country. “If you say that the current 800 truck drivers who make it through the borders stay at the border, it will interfere with business. The economy should move, but move without the diseases spreading.” Says Mr. Museveni
Mr. Museveni says since the public is aware of the measures in place to curb the spread of the virus and that the driver would also be assumed to be keen on protecting himself, he should be allowed to move on. “Delaying him will incur costs to his bosses. If he is found to be positive for Corona virus, he can be tracked” Mr. Museveni adds
Mr. Museveni’s reasoning is similar to that of Amelia Kyambadde, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives who in a recent interview said that they have agreed with Uganda Revenue Authority –URA to have any truck driver tracked until their final destination.
“If that driver makes a stop-over along the way, the Taskforce of that particular area should be alerted to ensure that that driver does not last more than 15 minutes in repose to prevent him from potentially spreading the virus, if any. So we have taken precautions in that area.” Says Mrs. Kyambadde
However, Lucy Akello, the Woman Member of Parliament for Amuru District said leaving the cargo truck drivers to continue driving into Uganda as their samples are being tested so risky since they will have gotten into contacts with lots of people along the way.
“The people who going to bring us the disease and are going to expose us are the truck drivers, I requested government if possible to start testing them and luckily they started but little did I know that they would test and leave and we have already made a formal complaint to the government in that regard.” Said Akello
“It is not fair, they are doing the testing in Malaba border forgetting that the whole of Acholi Sub –Region is now the receiving bit, in other words, those people are safe but for us we are busy receiving so now the big burden is on us at Elegu border to repatriate these people always.” She added
According to Akello, the government of Uganda should make arrangements where the cargo truck drivers from the neighbouring countries park at the respective border point and their Ugandan counterparts take over from there up to the delivery point.
“Once they are tested, can we have an arrangement where the Ugandan truck drivers from this side now take over and deliver the goods where it is supposed to go and bring it back. Of course the argument they have is having the truck drivers to wait for 48 hours will cause congestion at the borders but there is a solution from the truck drivers association, they are saying let those people come, park at the border, we take over and deliver.” Akello suggested
