On Monday, the Ministry of Works and Transport started issuing permits to essential people allowed to move following the presidential directive instituting a lock-down to curb the spread of Covid-19.
President Museveni directed the ministry to issue permits for essential staff. These include health workers, journalists, manufacturers, and government employees among others.
The ministry has set up an online system through which permits will be issued.
However, permits by the ministry of Works and Transport are to be used in Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, and cannot be used to cross into other districts.
According to guidelines released by the ministry, heads of organisations in the private sector and permanent secretaries or heads of departments in government entities shall apply for travel permits through an email, clearance@works.go.ug
The application should be sent with scan copy of a headed paper containing the full address of the entity.
The ministry will then reply with login credentials to the applicant that gives the entity access to apply on the clearance website.
The application shall include the names of employees, titles, National Identification or Passport Numbers, number of employees for whom clearance is sought and the registration numbers of the vehicles to be used.
Upon verification, the ministry shall generate a QR code together with an application number on the clearance form that will be uploaded on the website, www.clearance.works.go.ug, from where the entity will access the permit using the login credentials.
Mr Winstone Katushabe, the commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety, said the status of the application can be checked by sending an SMS to 6120.
Mr Katushabe said enforcement personnel will also be able to verify the authenticity of the travel permit by scanning the QR code using a smart phone or by sending an SMS with the vehicle registration number.
“Each credential is unique. One entity’s credentials are different and so cannot be shared. Every login is uniquely identified to that organisation. Once you send that list, we populate on individual paper and each worker will have a QR code, which can be verified through SMS and will show if you are cleared to move in a given vehicle,” Mr Katushabe said.
Mr Katushabe said the ministry has prioritised clearance of medical workers because they are the most critical workforce at the moment. He, however, said workers can use organisation identification cards to move as they await clearance.
Emergencies/ Special permits
The ministry has also indicated that one may approach the nearest referral medical personnel to obtain permission to travel in case of an emergency.
According to guidelines from the ministry, special permission shall be required for persons travelling out of Kampala for burial, medical reasons that are not emergencies, and departing or returning persons. This shall be done through the same online procedures [as essential workers].
The ministry shall approve or reject the application and the entity shall download the clearance form from www.clearance.works.go.ug using the provided login credentials.
To access travel permits in other districts, the regional and district task-forces are charged with issuing the permits following recommendations from the resident district commissioners, the district health officers and the village chairpersons.