Gen. Katumba Cancels 14 Day Emergency Movement Permits Issued by RDCs

In a bid to contain the spread of COVID 19 pandemic, President Museveni on 30th March 2020 banned movement of private cars for 14 days except those of essential service providers such as Doctors, Bankers, the Media among others.

The service providers allowed to drive were supposed to get stickers or movement permits from the Ministry of Works and Transport.

However, for the cases of emergencies such women in labor and very sick people, Museveni said they should get permission from the offices of their respective Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) or Resident District Commissioners (RDCs).

This prompted some RCCs and RDCs to issue 14-day movement permits to the people.

While addressing reporters yesterday, the Minister of Works and Transport Gen Katumba Wamala cancelled all the 14-day emergency movement permits issued by RCCs and RDCs, saying that they (RCCs and RDCs) are only allowed to give emergency letters that last for a few hours not 14 days.

“We have already alerted the Police that these kinds of letters are not official and nobody should use them. The only time the RCC or RDC is permitted is when there is an emergency and they can give that authority for a limited period of time.”

“There is no emergency which can last for 14 days. If you are giving somebody an authority to take someone to the hospital, definitely it can’t be 14 days. But that is what has been done and all those have been recalled. The emergency, yes it is acknowledged, RCC can handle an emergency. So please if anybody has got those letters from RCCs, you are very lucky to have driven for the last two days, please take it back because it’s not the official sticker,” said Katumba.