COVID-19: Uber suspends services in Kampala indefinitely

Car hailing service, Uber has suspended its services in Uganda following the announcement of a 14-day lockdown in Uganda that went into effect, yesterday, March 31^st 2020.

The statement released by the company reads: “In accordance with the measures announced by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on 30^th March 2020 to contain the spread of Coronavirus, we are temporarily pausing our services in Kampala starting from 31 March 2020, until further notice. The health and safety of our community comes first, and we will do our best to support drivers during these unprecedented times.”

Uganda’s president Museveni on 30^th March 2020 announced a ban on all private vehicles for 14-days and imposed a daily curfew running from 7:00 pm to 06:30 am for 14 days.

Uber said that the company intends to “fully restore service as soon as the government-imposed directive is lifted.

“We will work with drivers, riders and relevant authorities to resume normal service in the safest way possible,” said the company.

The suspension also affects UberBODA, which has also been suspended for fourteen days, beginning 31st March.

As at end of 2018, according to figures provided by the company, Uber had 37 000 active UberBODA riders and 1,000 active Uber drivers. Uber defines an active rider as a rider who has taken at least 1 trip within 90 days in a particular quarter. An active driver, on the other hand, is a driver that has completed at least 4 trips within 30 days in a quarter.

Uber supporting drivers and caring for clients during the hard times

The Uber statement also said the company had introduced safety recommendations within their Uber app to help raise awareness about suggested travel restrictions and social distancing with a “travel only if necessary” in-app messaging.

“Uber is providing safety information to drivers and riders in line with public health authorities’ guidance. This includes messages in-app, email and on social media channels. We have a team available 24/7 to support public health authorities in their response to the pandemic. Working with them, we may temporarily suspend the accounts of customers and drivers confirmed to have contracted or been exposed to COVID‑19,” further said the statement.

The company also said that “drivers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed in individual quarantine by a public health authority will receive financial assistance for a period of up to 14 days.”

Uber also announced that it had distributed hand sanitisers to drivers and those who did not receive but had purchased surface sanitizers would receive a one-time reimbursement to cover the expense.