Africa-Press – Uganda. The Ugandan delegation to Airbus’s headquarters in Toulouse, France was amazed by the good, clean roads and natural environment of the city with tall trees planted everywhere to keep the city green.
Toulouse also referred to as the Pink City (La Ville Rose) due to the terra-cotta bricks used in many of its buildings, is one of the oldest cities in France. It is bisected by the Garonne River and sits near the Spanish border. It is the headquarters of Airbus and other big companies.
It has an estimated total population of 471,941 people. On a Saturday evening, while most roads remained empty outside the city, several people were seen making last shopping in the city centre as they raced to walk, ride or drive back home to avoid a curfew that was recently imposed on the city.
Shops and markets were allowed to open as Christmas drew near but the police are said to be tough on movements beyond the curfew time.
A nightly curfew was imposed all over France between 8pm and 6am and the police are so serious about violators of the curfew time.
People are only allowed to leave their residences when commuting to and from work, school, or training place, carrying out essential business trips that cannot be postponed, medical appointments that cannot be carried out remotely or postponed, or for essential family reasons, assisting vulnerable persons, persons in a precarious situation or taking care of children, among others.
The Ugandan delegation, led by works minister, Gen. Katumba Wamala, arrived in France on Friday evening in the city of Toulouse to officially receive Uganda’s first Airbus A330-800neo (New Engine Options) from the manufacturers, Airbus company.
Airbus is scheduled to handover one aircraft to the team on Monday and it will be flown to Entebbe by the Uganda Airlines’ crew and will be received by President Yoweri Museveni at a ceremony on Tuesday.
It will be the first Airbus aircraft manufactured in France and one of the newest additions to the Uganda Airlines after the purchase of four CRJ 900 jetliners also called Bombadiers in April and October.
Most team members were heard comparing the dust on the streets of Kampala back home, littering of rubbish by individuals, and potholes everywhere to the clean and dust-free city.
Unlike in Kampala, most young people walked in pairs and hand-in-hand, while several were seen riding bikes, both men and women. The weather is relatively cool and a traveler would need a jacket or an overall coat to remain comfortable.
The team that traveled with the minister include officials of the ministries of works, finance, National Planning Authority led by Joseph Muvawala, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority officials led by acting director-general Fred Bamwesigye, and Uganda Airlines led by board chairman Pereza Ahabwe.
