A University student from Makerere University Business School (MUBS) was recently robbed and thrown out of a moving car while she had taken an Uber ride in Kampala.
This is the first Uber related crime being reported to have taken place in Kampala since it’s launch in June. In many cities across the US and Europe, Uber related crimes are commonly reported.
Josephyn Flore (Facebook username) claims she was robbed by an Uber driver in Kampala in her latest Facebook post. She did not mention [in her post] what time the incident took place and where exactly in Kampala, however.
She claims that Uber driver took almost everything she was carrying, got thrown out of the moving car leaving her with a few bruises and questioning Uber’s dedication to guaranteeing safety for the riders.
Uber Uganda’s response to the matter was in a Tweet as below:
@Ruthaine Hi there, please note we have already taken action and are looking into this further. Thanks!
— Uber Uganda (@uber_uganda) August 7, 2016
Online resource, Who’s Driving You compiles a comprehensive list of all Uber related crimes and safety issues in all cities the service is live in. And it says the biggest crimes are murders, sexual assaults, kidnappings, felonies and imposters.
Safety Tips for your next Uber
Wait in a safe place for your Uber driver to arrive.
One of the benefits of using Uber instead of a traditional Special Hire service is that you can get an Uber driver to pick you up pretty much anywhere that’s convenient to you. This saves you the trouble of having to wait for a taxi in an unsafe neighbourhood. You can even wait inside a building if you want, and Uber will notify you when your driver arrives to pick you up.
Make sure that you’re getting picked up by the right driver and car.
The Uber app allows you to see the first name, profile picture and license plate number for your Uber ride. Make sure that all of these things match when your driver arrives. If you can, also see if you can get your driver to recognize you by name.
Stay in touch with someone you trust.
Your Uber driver will most likely be relatively unfamiliar to you, so it wouldn’t hurt to have someone you trust on standby as a backup. Uber advises that riders should share your Estimated Time of Arrival – ETA with their friends and family so they can follow your route and know when to expect you.
