In an interview with NBS TV, Secretary of the Bus Drivers and Allied Association Willy Katende blamed the strike on some ill-intentioned colleagues who want to eject the current leadership. He condemned those behind the strike in an effort to force the hand of police to relax the strict rules in their favour.

On Monday operators from Kalita, Swift Safaris and Savanna bus companies parked their vehicles citing strict traffic police enforcement of no night and pre-dawn departures and the ban on return journeys for long distances. But the bus drivers association claims that some bus owners are only after making money and not securing the lives of travelers.

And it appears after a lengthy indoor meeting with the transport minister and police on Monday, the striking bus operators seem to have relented.

The strike left passengers heading to a number of western routes including Mbarara, Bushenyi, Ibanda and Kasese stranded. But other companies like Link, YY coaches and Teso Coach heading to the East continued with normal operations.

Police insist no long distance buses doing more than 300 kilometers will be allowed to do return journeys. But some operators say they will hire two drivers to alternate to avoid fatigue that police blame for the rising number of accidents.