Police fires teargas to disperse rowdy taxi operators

Police in Entebbe led by Geoffrey Oloya the officer in charge  operations and ASP James Mwesigye the officer in charge of the station, fired teargas to disperse taxi operators in Kitooro taxi park, Entebbe municipality.

Operators wanted to thump whom they termed as old leaders of the park, claiming, the latter were charging exorbitant taxi fares which cannot be accounted for.

"We held a meeting recently and decided to suspend the collection of loading fees from taxis until a new interim committee is selected," said Jean Marie one of the drivers at Kitooro taxi stage.

Police was forced to fire teargas to disperse taxi operators who had turned rowdy.  (Photo by Julius Luwemba)

He noted that every taxi was being charged Sh6, 000 every time it loaded passengers.

According to Wycliff Kiyingi , another taxi operator who claims to have been in the business for 20  years, the incident was sparked off when a one Vianney belonging to the "old' committee, beat up a one Mukama for failure to pay loading fares.

"We had all agreed to halt payment of such fees until we hold a meeting which was scheduled for Saturday at Nakivubo Blue Primary School in Kampala," added Kiyingi.

Rajab Lubwama another driver at the stage, intimated that, away from the loading fees, there are other 'welfare' fees collected, whose accountability is not satisfactory."

"They bought three taxis using the welfare money but we don't see any returns from those taxis," stated Lubwama. 

The five people who were detained include a one Roger, Mukasa, Peter Okodit, Hamiduh Sebunya among others.

When contacted, Steven Kidde the "old" chairperson of the stage, was not picking the phone calls neither did he reply our messages by press time.