With just a day to Christmas, travellers at various taxi and bus parks in Kampala are stranded and digging deeper into their pockets as transport fares to upcountry destinations skyrocket, including routes to Congo and Rwanda.
Some people are seeking unique travel experiences to escape their busy routines, while others are heading to the countryside to reunite with relatives, enjoy festive meals, and take in the cool breeze of the season.
However, with demand for travel services surging, transport operators have hiked fares, leaving many passengers stressed by the added expense. Last week, operators increased fares on long routes by Shs10,000, but by yesterday, most had doubled the costs.
Ordinarily, passengers travelling from Kampala to Mbarara pay Shs40,000, but are now being charged up to Shs60,000. On some routes, fares have more than doubled. In contrast, YY Coaches have maintained their usual fares.
Mr Musa Kasirye, the operations manager at YY Coaches in Kampala, said: ‘From the beginning, at YY Coaches, we do not increase transport fares, unlike other terminals. This is partly because we don’t incur unnecessary costs such as broker fees, and the fares charged are agreed upon with the Transport Licensing Board (TLB).’
Commuters across several bus terminals and taxi parks expressed frustration over the fare hikes, citing the tough economic conditions.
‘It’s absolutely unrealistic for transport operators to double prices at such a crucial time when we are travelling not only to celebrate Christmas but also to see relatives we have not seen for almost a year,’ said Ms Janice Peruth Apalat, a traveller to Gulu.
Mr Joseph Sakaya, who was travelling to Soroti, said transport operators take advantage of travellers’ desperation. ‘Because they know we are desperate, they increase the fares. I think the government should consider effective alternatives like railway transport to save us from this challenge every year,’ he said.
Another traveller, Mr Johnson Otuke, blamed the fare hikes on terminal brokers who, he said, are exploiting the festive season for personal gain.
However, Ms Abija Nalweyiso, a supervisor at Global Coaches’ bus terminal, dismissed the claims, explaining that the festive season comes with increased operational costs.
‘This time of the year requires extra staffing and vehicle maintenance, and there is also the challenge of returning buses empty to Kampala. These expenses lead to increased fares to compensate for the added costs,’ she said.
The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, last week urged transport operators not to double fares, although he did not entirely bar them from making slight increases during the festive season.