The Uganda Police Force have intercepted over eight Tanzania national sneaking into Uganda.
The eight had come in Uganda to conduct their businesses however they were intercepted while entering Jinja town.
Their arrest follows the President’s directives that were issued last week due to coronavirus outbreak.
President Yoweri Museveni ordered for the closure of Entebbe international airport for all commercial flights effective March 22, 2020, at midnight for 32 days.
In the same spirit, he ordered for the closure of all border entry points, allowing only those drivers and accompanying crews-not exceeding three for cargo transport vehicles such as trailers, Lorries and other cargo vehicles to continue carrying on their businesses.
“To prohibit all incoming passengers whether by air, water or road. In order to actualize this, we have decided to prohibit all passenger planes coming from outside Uganda from landing at any of the airports of Uganda. Only the cargo planes will be allowed to fly into and outside Uganda. Also to be allowed are planes on account of emergency or UN planes doing relief work,” he said.
He added “No buses, taxis, no minibusses, no saloon cars, no Bodabodas will be allowed in the country. Also, pedestrians walking on foot or riding on bicycles will not be allowed to enter Uganda by water, by road or by footpath nor will they be allowed to exit by those means.” He ordered.
However, on Saturday, the Tanzanian nationals who used water transport means to sneak into the country include Juma Mukyaalanganya, Kondo Musuka, Spencer Jukinya, Haji Jume, Matthias Alisteous, Siraja Kassim, Musa Alfand, Malizia Osward.
According to Police spokesman Fred Enanga, the suspects managed to reach Jinja after boarding a ferry MV Opendo which was traveling from Mwanza to Rippon landing site which is under the protection of Uganda Police marine unit.
“They tried to have access to Jinja town but they were intercepted by our task teams in Jinja, all of them were sent back to Tanzania after subjecting them to medical check-ups and we told them that until the measures are relaxed then probably we can invite them to Uganda,” Enanga said on Monday.
Enanga added that with the closure of all border points, Uganda is more secure since security has been beefed up at all border points to ensure that no foreigner or Ugandan sneaks into the country until the directives are relaxed.
“Some of the deployments have been beefed up in the form of foot and motorized patrols in places to curb illegal entries in Uganda and the prominent areas are; Elegu and Amo in Aswa region, the Eastern side of Busia there is Malaba Lwakaka axis and the western side from Entoroko, Bwera up to Kanungu, then the southern sides bordering Rwanda and Tanzania,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chinese who were intercepted in Zombo Pader while trying to cross to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into Bunia, their file was taken to the state attorney and they are expected to be charged before the court the moment their file is sanctioned.
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