Contrary to the recent ban against inter-district travel in Uganda, water transport across Ugandan lakes has continued uninterruptedly on various water bodies among districts.
Earlier on, the president of Uganda passed a directive banning public transport across districts as away to contain a rapid surge in Covid-19 cases.
On Lake Victoria, several ferries such as MV Kalangala, MV Sigulu, MV Buvuma are operational, although they are only transporting cargo, ‘essential’ workers and tourists connecting to various islands.
However, some private boats continue ferrying people across districts. According to Mr Moses Mahanda, a tour boat operator at Masese Landing Site in Jinja District, many of the passengers using private boats are from Kampala and Mukono and they travel to districts including Namayingo, Mayuge and Buvuma.
“It seems much focus is put on vehicles and water transport has been left out. People are freely using private passenger boats here [Masese Landing Site] without wearing masks and connecting to different destinations without any interruption,” Mr Mahanda said.
The situation is not different on lakes Kyoga and Wamala.
Lake Kyoga waters are shared by 15 districts spanning the regions of central, eastern and northern, while Lake Wamala is shared by the districts of Gomba, Kassanda, Mityana and Mubende.
Travellers using boats from the four districts are still freely accessing Bagwe Island in the middle of Lake Wamala.
“Our people on the lake live a miserable life and stopping them from moving from one island to another will be a death sentence. What we are emphasising is the strict observance of SOPs,” Mr Godfrey Sseguya, the chairperson of Kyengoza Sub-county in Gomba District, said.
On some islands such as Kalangala and Buvuma, it is the only means of mobility and access to basic services for communities.
Mr Herbert Mutyaba, the head of ferry services at Uganda National Road Authority (Unra), explained that public ferries managed by the authority are still operational because they act as road bridges connecting islands to the mainland.
“The President did not close roads, those ferries are like roads and they facilitate movement of essential goods and services, which cannot stop. Unless there is total lockdown, they cannot stop operating,” Mr Muyaba said.
He added: “What ferry operators need to do is to screen those currently using the ferries. All those traveling must prove that they are essential workers, tourists or have their cargo on board.”
In Masaka, the two vessels MV Ssese and MV Pearl, which connect to Kalangala islands, are also fully operational. Some passengers from Kakyanga Landing Site in Masaka connecting to Bugoma in Kalangala are also still crossing Lake Victoria, although operators take them in the guise of cargo owners.
Mr Innocent Ochan, the officer-in-charge of marines in Kalangala District, says vessels are free to operate, but strictly carrying cargo or tourists.
“Only vessels carrying cargo and tourists are allowed to sail and occupants have to strictly observe the SOPs. There could be some private passenger boats operating in some landing sites and islands, we are going to work with police to arrest those defiant operators because what they are doing is likely to further the spread the virus,” he said.
He, however, added that marine police had suspended all passenger boats from Kenya and Tanzania that connect to islands in Kalangala, Wakiso, Buvuma and Mukono districts.
The Kabale RDC, Mr Darius Nandinda, together with his Rubanda counterpart Rwakifari Kibondo say they are planning joint operations to ensure travellers on Lake Bunyonyi do not violate the travel ban.
Lake Bunyonyi connects Kabale and Rubanda districts and immediately after the presidential directive stopping people from crossing from one district to another was issued, the traders opted to use the water transport to continue with their businesses.
The head of the marine police unit on Lake Bunyonyi, Mr Stephen Sanyu, said they are doing their best to sensitise residents on different on islands on Lake Bunyonyi on how best to move on water without violating the Covid-19 guidelines that include restricted entries into districts.
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