Police authorities after the meeting at Kabale CPS
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KABALE- The territorial police of Kigezi in the morning of  24/01/2024 held a security meeting with  the managers of all the bus companies that operate the western route of Kabale within and through, up to Kigali and Goma, which was as a result of the numerous complaints and public outcry against the bus transport industry.

A number of complaints that include the following were raised;

– That, because Kabale town lacks a bus terminal, buses always congest the area around Munalisa, making double parking, which inconveniences other road users, more especially when the heavy trucks are en route that becomes so dangerous.

– The same buses Park on the wrong side of the road and expose the passengers to danger because the doorway used for exit and entry is directly on the road, knowing that some passengers don’t take safety precautions.

– There are also the concerns of entertaining all sorts of people in the name of bus guides who are not employed by any of the buses, but they are left to misguide the people, issue fake receipts and disappear, others overcharge and either disappear or go by themselves and get receipts of exact amount and use the balance for their personal benefits.

– Some buses deceive people from Kampala that will reach the far destination like Kisoro, Rukungiri or Kigali and dump them along the way more especially in Kabale without any refund and not getting for them other means of transport.

– The issue of boda boda jamming the stage to receive passengers disembarking the bus obstructing them on the door way blocking them to freely move out, to an extent of stealing people’s properties.

– Others only commute during the night and connive to rob or snatch passengers’ properties.

– Some buses overload especially in the night, and their conductors have no customer care but also carelessly drive while over speed.

– Also was the recent problem of alleged poisoning of people on transit by  unknown culprits where a number of people are believed to have been victims, although the police explained to have only had four reports registered at CPS Kabale, which are being investigated to establish which kind of chemical is used, which people are involved and how do they administer it, since some victims are claiming not to have eaten any type of food while on transit.

Some of these complaints are said to have always happen in the presence of the bus managers and officials and nothing is seen to be done as a remedy to prevent or fight them, where people were losing trust and confidence in both the bus companies but also the law enforcement officers.

The meeting was chaired by the deputy Rpc SSP Kawalya James.

Others in attendance were the regional staff that included; R/CID D/SSP Wathum Benson, R/CLO SP Mwebembezi Gilbert CAGS, RTO SP Mahad, PRO ASP Maate Elly and the PSU D/IP Tumushabe Silver.

The district team comprised the DPC SP Okello Charles, OC traffic ASP Mucunguzi Wilson and some crime intelligence staff.

The bus companies represented were; Bapakasi, Jaguar, Bismarkan, Friends, Link, Gateway, Baby coach, Horizon, Volcano and Trinity.

With their executive committee that include the chairman, general secretary, treasurer and the defense.

After deliberating on most of the concerns, the following were the *resolutions* that will see sanity brought back for the good and better service delivery;

– All buses should improvise the safety mechanism within the bus eg, those without cameras like others, should also install them.

– All the bus officials in transit, are supposed to be customer friendly, take proper care of the passengers and make regular communication to alert their passengers of the would be dangers, so that they remain security conscious and vigilant enough during the journey.

– All buses are not supposed to have unnecessary stoppages anyhow where people unnecessarily disembark for reasons not known and those selling local food stuffs are allowed to enter the bus.

– Where need be, they can stop at a fuel station to ease themselves with a recognized supermarket and people quench their thirst and hunger without fear.

– All buses are to register their recognized workers and give lists to the police and executive committee and were given two weeks to be fully dressed in company uniforms identified with clear numbers.

But to Sum it all, the bus executive committee of the four officers was tasked to add on their committee one person from each bus company so that they are a big team that can easily handle their own concerns within the transport docket before they come out, and this committee was empowered to fully exercise and execute their duties without fear or favor whereby they must have already sat and see how they will sort out some of the mess at their Munalisa stage with immediate effects.

The meeting agreed that once there’s any concern that the committee feels that *it’s beyond their mandate, especially the stubborn workers of theirs, drivers, boda boda and any other person therein, once taken to police, the law must take its course and is dealt with accordingly*, to mention but a few.

The chairperson, concluded the meeting by thanking members for attending and for their active participation, asked them to pass the same information to their other workers and bosses so that there’s smooth running of activities as far as the transport industry is concerned.

He promised to remain in touch with the transporters and assured them that the DPC will always improvise and reinforce them with manpower whenever there’s a need, and said he has a big number of forces that can be used to remove them from that point of Munalisa if they don’t manage themselves, and behave normally.

All was in the presence of different media houses for discrimination, united we stand and together we can.