KCCA to impound commercial vehicles over user fees

Nov 18, 2017

Peter Kaujju said all commercial vehicles operating in the city are charged road user fees, which they should pay within the stipulated days

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has urged operators of commercial vehicles (commuter taxis, special hires, buses, lorries and pickups) to clear their November monthly fees

Citing the paragraph IV of the Kampala Capital City Road User Fees Statutory Instrument 2015, the director of public and corporate affairs, Peter Kaujju said all commercial vehicles operating in the city are charged commercial road user fees, which they should pay within the stipulated days.

"KCCA is requesting them to pay up their November dues, as the month is about to end. The authority needs their payments for service delivery in the city," he said.

In a notice to all owners and operators of commuter taxis, special hires, buses, lorries and pickups, KCCA wants them to settle their dues with KCCA to avoid inconveniences arising from enforced recovery. This might include impounding to the vehicles whose owners fail to pay the dues.

"You are further informed that KCCA is resuming enforcement operations anytime," the notice reads.

Last week KCCA commercial road user's manager Robert Mugangaizi clarified to the commuter taxi users that: "Taxi operators will have to start paying the sh120, 000 monthly tax this November to KCCA bank accounts to enable service delivery.

He added that the Kampala minister and the cabinet agreed that the drivers continue paying taxes until July next year to allow the authority complete the formulation of the 2018-19 city budget.

"The President's suggestions came in when KCCA was already forming its next budget, government was not ready to financially close the gap that would be created by taxi drivers' tax exemption," he explained.

KCCA's move to halt the arrears collection and the demand for the November revenue raised mixed reactions from driver, as some warmly welcomed it while the other objected.

Yasin Sematimba, the chairperson of Kampala Taxi Stages Association (KOTSA) explained that they have started paying their November monthly dues, saying that although a small section of taxi drivers are causing resistance the majority has already paid.

However Mustafa Mayambala, the chairperson of Drivers and Conductors Central Association (DACCA) said they are still sticking to the directive of President Museveni saying that KCCA should find a way of setting an annual fee.

Commuter taxi drivers declined to pay sh120,000 monthly fee for the months of August, September and October on allegations that President Yoweri Museveni had directed that the fees be an annual license calculated and paid once.

On July 22, 2017 Museveni wrote to the Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Ruganda directing that government agencies should not over tax informal sector players, saying the groups should only pay annual licenses.

                                                                                                                                                                            

 

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