Students Stranded Over Hiked Transport Fares
Written by sirus ziki on June 8, 2021
Several students from various schools in Mukono district are stranded on the road and schools due to lack of transport following the abrupt closure of schools to contain the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Sunday night, President Museveni directed the closure of all educational institutions across the country for 42 days as part of the fresh measures to control the spread of COVID-19.
As a result, schools started discharging learners this morning to return to their homes. However, many of the students are still stuck as they are yet to receive transport from their parents to return home. Several other students claim to have received less money compared to what taxis and Boda bodas are charging leaving a number of students stranded on stages at Collins, Namirembe, Bishop, Kigunga, Jomayi and Seeta town while others are patiently waiting at their schools for their parents to pick them up.
Transport fares have been changing since morning depending on the distance one intends to cover. For instance, travellers from Mukono to Kampala on Boda boda are paying Shillings 13, 000 and a taxis between Shillings 8000 to 10, 000. While transport from Mukono to Jinja and Kayunga is Shillings 30, 000.
Our reporter found Clair Nansimbe one of the students at Paul Mukasa Secondary school stuck at Kigunga stage in Ggoma division. She explained that her parent sent her Shillings 10, 000 for transport to Njeru municipality but taxis are insisting on Shillings 25,000 yet her mother’s mobile line is switched off.
Shenah Nkinzi, a student from Bishop Secondary School, says that their parents had just returned them to school and used all the money, saying that they are struggling to find means of picking them from school.
