Chaos as Old Taxi park leadership fails to swear-in

CONFLICT

Police on Thursday was involved in running battles with Entebbe stage drivers after chaos ensued between two factions over management of the stage.

Drivers of Entebbe stage in the Old taxi park in Kampala are opposing the leadership of their chairman Richard Kiyaga who they say was elected in the wrong way.

Chaos ensued when a group of taxi operators under Uganda Transport Development Agency (UTRADA) attempted to swear in their new leadership, a move that was strongly resisted by Kampala Operational Taxi Stages Association (KOTSA), a rival organization.

UTRADA held elections on Sept 5, 2019, to fill a few vacant positions on their leadership structure, and the subsequent swearing-in had been slated for Thursday at Nakivubo Blue Primary School playgrounds.

According to Muhammad Kibuuka,   a supervisor and conductor, at the Entebbe stage, the unending fights at the stage are fuelled by some agents in the Police.

Kirabika Peter, a supervisor in the park, and a member of KOTSA, alleged that the fight came as a result of KOTSA members carrying pangas and knives to the swearing-in ceremony.

However,  the in-charge operations at Central Police station SP Ivan Nduhura, notes that the elections which were conducted were not respected by the drivers.

He added that Police will not tolerate any wrangles which will destabilise the park.

The chairman UTC village, where the taxi park sits, Badru, Kirumaganyi advised higher authorities to sort out the leadership crisis at his stage once and for all.

"I appeal to government to solve the leadership question at Entebbe stage. If not, let the stage be moved from our area," Kirumaganyi said. He added that they were tired of the endless fights in their area.

We want the Entebbe stage to relocate to Usafi Park where it was told to be. Yassin Ssematimba the chairperson of KOTSA denied knowledge of Kiyaga alleging that he was planted by ISO operatives.

He could not diverge the details saying that the drivers are divided.

"We had prepared the election of the leaders but these so-called ISO informers interfered."