Uber’s Head of Public Policy and Government Relations for Uber in North Africa and the Middle East, Ahmed Aly, met with members of the Egyptian Parliament on 22 May to appeal for access by Uber Egypt to drivers’ criminal records.
Aly’s request, which occurred during a hearing with the parliament’s Communications and Information Technology Committee, comes following a recent streak of violence against women by Uber drivers, sparking nationwide controversy over the safety of ride-hailing apps in Egypt.
The session also included officials from the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Uber, and the Ministry of Transport, according to state media Ahram Online, who reported on the event.
The report highlights Aly’s statement that the committee recommended that the company check the criminal records of their drivers in March. However, Uber has been unable to implement the recommendation due to the lack of access to an official database to verify the drivers’ information. The Uber representative also highlighted the company’s immediate on-ground efforts on 25 February after Uber user Habiba El-Shamaa jumped from a moving vehicle out of fear of being kidnapped, falling head first on the pavement.
Aly stated that Uber provided extensive support to the victim’s family and covered treatment costs. They also cooperated with the relevant authorities investigating the matter. Investigations revealed that the driver in question was under the influence of drugs, had a criminal record, and was previously suspended by Uber due to sexual harassment complaints. He returned to work by registering once more with a fake ID.
El-Shamaa, who fell into a coma after suffering a brain hemorrhage from a fall, passed away at the age of 24. This tragic incident has sparked a social media outcry over the lack of safety measures imposed by Uber and similar ride-hailing applications.
In May, an Egyptian Uber driver was arrested for sexually assaulting and attempting to kidnap a female passenger. The case received significant media attention and is currently under investigation by the country’s public prosecution.
During the hearing, Member of Parliament Mai Mazen mentioned that a company representative apologized for the incident involving Habiba El-Shamaa. She questioned the sincerity of the apology, emphasizing that a life was lost and no action has been taken since the committee’s meeting last March. Mai Mazen called for the shutdown of the company’s application in Egypt if no improvements were made.
After the hearing, the committee made several important recommendations to enhance the safety of ride-hailing services. First, the committee proposed reclassifying these companies as service providers instead of digital technology firms, which would make them responsible for passenger safety. Second, they urged for the rigorous enforcement of current laws and regulations that govern ride-hailing services.
Thirdly, they suggested implementing safety measures, such as installing cameras and audio recording devices in vehicles. Additionally, the committee recommended that all ride-hailing companies set up a customer service center to systematically log complaints. These records should be electronically accessible to the Ministry of Transport for monitoring purposes upon request.
