Entebbe unveils plan to redevelop taxi park 

DEVELOPMENT

Commuter taxi drivers and lock up owners operating business in Kitooro Taxi Park in Entebbe Municipality has been given 14 days to vacate the place to pave way for redevelopment.

According to a circular issued by the town clerk, Dan Lutaaya, all the commuter taxi drivers will relocate to one of the streets outside the park to enable government project commerce.

Lutaaya in his letter dated September 22, copied to the Mayor; Depaul Kayanga reads in part, "Entebbe Municipal council with support from government through Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) and the World Bank will be reconstructing the taxi park, to upgrade its infrastructure in line with the city development vision and strategy.

"The purpose of this letter is to inform you that with effect from October 5, the taxi park will be hoard off for construction works thereof," reads the letter copied to Kayanga, proprietor's owners of lock up shops and Kitooro Taxi Park.

In 2013 the World Bank Board approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit of US$150 million to finance urban infrastructure and improve service delivery in 14 municipalities in Uganda.

The six-year project is to expand urban infrastructure, and enhance the capacity of the 14 municipal local governments to generate own source revenues, improve urban planning, and strengthen financial management, procurement, environmental and social systems.

The 14 beneficiary municipalities are geographically spread across the country include: Arua, Gulu, Lira (Northern Uganda); Soroti, Moroto, Mbale, Tororo, Jinja (Eastern Uganda); Entebbe, Masaka (Central); Mbarara, Kabale, Fort Portal and Hoima (Western Uganda).

The commuter taxi drivers are expected to vacate the park on the October 5, 2017.

Taxi drivers speak out

"We are going to relocate beginning October 5 and occupy one of the roads near the Leisure Park. It is going to inconvenience other road users, but we have to let government programs go on," said Stephen Kidde, the chairman Entebbe taxi drivers.