Govt asks UTODA for accounts

By Siki Kigongo and Conan Businge

THE Government has ordered the Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (UTODA) to present all its financial accounts for the last six months, to facilitate a probe into its activities and financial conduct.

“We want to look at their accounts so that we can clarify a number of allegations which are being put forward. This will also help us to solve the misunderstandings between the association and the drivers,” the state minister for transport, Stephen Chebrot, said.

When he was asked about allegations that UTODA has not been remitting the money it collected as taxes, Chebrot said: “UTODA does not want to say much about that money.”

The minister said UTODA may soon be asked to present their accounts details for the last 20 years.

The press briefing followed a meeting between the minister, Kampala Capital City Authority officials, the deputy presidential adviser on market affairs, ministers of internal affairs and local government, and the associations of taxi operators and the taxi consumers.

On the directive of the President, Chebrot chaired the first committee meeting last week, to resolve complaints between the taxi drivers and UTODA.

Earlier on, Police had instituted a probe into allegations that UTODA was harassing members of its rival factions.

But Chebrot said: “UTODA is running a cartel. There are criminal elements in there. They cannot be allowed to continue pointing guns at people.”

He said he had asked the internal affairs ministry to investigate an incident where a UTODA official allegedly pointed a gun at someone during an argument.

Chebrot said it was agreed that, “there would be no more collection of welfare funds from any (taxi) stage.”

“All directives issued by the President must be observed by all parties and enforced by the relevant organs,” he said.

Chebrot added that the meeting resolved that “any unreceipted money should not be collected.”