Taxi drivers agree to pay sh120,000 monthly fee

By Juliet Waiswa

Drivers operating in the two city parks are ready to pay the sh120,000 monthly taxi fee which was reduced from sh155,500 by the new management – Kampala City Council Authority.

By agreeing to pay the lowered fee, the drivers slammed a decision by Kampala mayor, Erias Lukwago to have the amount reduced further to sh80,000.

The new charge to be paid by all taxis operating in the city was revised and announced by KCCA over the weekend.

KCCA’s public relations officer, Peter Kaujju announced that the new fee would take immediate effect. He explained that the sh120,000 was derived from the sh4,000 paid on a daily basis.

The decision by KCCA executive director Jennifer Musisi to review the fees comes after consultation from the sectorial committees, members of revenue and technical staff of the authority.

“We came up with the fees as we wait for the council meeting. We may decide to retain the fee or to reduce it,” the chairperson of Revenue Collection, KCCA, Joyce Achan said.

“This was a decision of the authority subject to approval as we wait for the Lord Mayor to convene a council meeting,” Benard Luyiga Makerere University said.  

Following the decision, Lukwago on Monday addressed a cross-section of drivers in a meeting he convened that the charges were illegal. He argued that the councilors had not approved the revised fee.

When New Vision contacted some drivers, they said they do not have any problem with the fee, as compared to what they have been charged by Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (UTODA).

“We are very okay with the revised fees from 155,500 to 120,000.Wehave been suffering under UTODA management over high fees, but KCCA is charging a reasonable fee and they have already started repairs in the parks,” Yassin Sematimba said.

Another driver, Kalidi Bbaale Bwanika shared a similar voice: “We are going to pay the fees as set by KCCA, and all we want are the services provided by KCCA. So far we realize changes in the parks.”

Kampala High Court on January 30 dismissed the case filed by UTODA. The court ruled in favour of KCCA supporting that UTODA did not have a contract with the Authority.

The chairman of Drivers and Conductors Association (DACCA) Mustapher Mayambala, said that at the moment the main focus should be on fares charged from passengers and maintaining cleanliness in the parks and offering services to the public.

Mayambala said that anyone who refuses to cooperate with KCCA would be leading to their own downfall.