Police cautions Masaka taxi operators

Sep 05, 2011

Taxi drivers have been accused of bribing traffic Police officers along the Masaka-Kyotera road. Masaka district officer in charge of traffic, Andrew Muyambi, warned that drivers who give money to traffic officers would be arrested and prosecuted.



Taxi drivers have been accused of bribing traffic Police officers along the Masaka-Kyotera road. Masaka district officer in charge of traffic, Andrew Muyambi, warned that drivers who give money to traffic officers would be arrested and prosecuted.

Muyambi also said many drivers who ply the route do not stop when flagged down by the traffic Police.

“It is a sign of indiscipline for the taxi drivers not to stop when halted by the traffic Police.

Throwing money for the officers is wrong. It’s as if they are throwing bones to the dogs,” he said.

Muyambi said private vehicles operating as taxis were supposed to carry five people, but often carry 12 passengers.

He warned that excess loading of passengers can lead to accidents.

Muyambi was recently addressing taxi drivers at Masaka Municipal Taxi Park where they had hosted the national community liaison officer for traffic Police, Jessica Ndimugendawa.

Ndimugendawa said the Police had deployed informers to identify taxi drivers who throw money to the traffic officers when instructed to stop.

She also said sometimes, the passengers raise the money to bribe the traffic officers.

Ndimugendawa warned that private cars that operated as taxis were liable to face traffic penalties.

“Those passengers can refuse to pay you if you do not have a passenger service vehicle clearance. So be mindful of the risks of operating as taxis when you are not authorised to do so,” she said.

She noted that many accidents were occurring on the Masaka and Mbarara highways because of indiscipline among drivers.

“How can you begin driving when you have consumed plenty of alcohol; you must learn to fear death,” Ndimugendawa said.

The drivers from Masaka, however, said most accidents occurring on the Masaka-Mbarara highway were not caused by taxi drivers but by other road users who often speed and drive under the influence of alcohol.

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