Tales of how drivers suffer at the hands of UTODA

Jul 15, 2011

DENIS Kibuuka, 38, almost shed tears as he narrated his ordeal at the hands of Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers’ Association (UTODA). He has been a taxi driver in the Old Taxi park for 16 years.

By John Semakula

DENIS Kibuuka, 38, almost shed tears as he narrated his ordeal at the hands of Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers’ Association (UTODA). He has been a taxi driver in the Old Taxi park for 16 years.

Kibuuka’s ordeal started in 1999, when he was allegedly arrested by two UTODA officials from Makindye, a city suburb. He was accused of hiring a gun from a soldier, to rob and kill a UTODA official.

Kibuuka said he was held at the then directorate of military intelligence for two days and allegedly tortured. His accusers failed to provide evidence linking him to the crime, leading to his release.

Kibuuka denied the accusations, saying he did not even know how to use a gun and had never been involved in robbery. “UTODA implicated me in robbery because I was opposed to the non-receipted charges the drivers were being forced to pay,” he said, adding that he had mobilised some drivers to reject the charges.

In 2006, Kibuuka bought a taxi, but one day, UTODA officials allegedly impounded it on grounds that it had not been fully registered.

The taxi was towed to the KCC yard in Industrial Area, where it remained for three years. Efforts by Kibuuka to have it released were fruitless.

“I was sent away from most of the offices I went to. I discovered that UTODA officials had bribed the people who could have helped me,” Kibuuka alleged. At one point, he gave up.

But one day, Kibuuka’s friend who had allegedly endured a similar experience, advised him to petition Col. Proscovia Nalweyiso of the President’s Office.

“UTODA later succumbed to her pressure and released my car. But it was in a poor mechanical condition. It couldn’t be put back on the road, so I decided to sell it off as scrap,” Kibuuka said.

The UTODA chairman, John Ndyomugyenyi, however, said there were many drivers who had been implicated in crime and had decided to turn against the association.

William Kigongo Kasawuli, a driver in the Old Tax Park and the publicity secretary of the Drivers and Conductors Central Association (DACCA), said it was normal practice for UTODA to harass drivers who are opposed to their policies.

“UTODA can stop you from using the park or fine you if you oppose them. They also have kanyamas (muscle men) who beat up drivers,” Kigongo said.

Dan Kyazze, a driver on Entebe Road, recently registered an assault case at Katwe Police Station. He said he was beaten by the kanyamas who accused him of being stubborn. He nearly lost his teeth.

But until the recent strike, only a few people knew about the wrangles that started in 1995, when UTODA began managing the two main taxi parks in the city.

Although UTODA’s role was to collect the daily and monthly charges, the association allegedly overstepped its roles.

Before UTODA came in, the drivers would pay a loading fee worth the fare of two passengers per route. The money would be deposited as a welfare fund to help drivers who were involved in accidents or lost loved ones.

The drivers also had another initiative named numberless, where on a particular day, a given driver would load passengers in his vehicle without having to queue up and wait for other taxis to fill.

On such a day, the driver of the numberless taxi would also be given a fraction of the day’s loading fee.

However, when UTODA took over, the loading fee was increased to the equivalent of the fare of three passengers per route.

In addition, drivers also pay loading fees outside the park, at every stage where they stop for passengers, and this money is not receipted.

UTODA had reportedly told the drivers that the loading fees would be given back to them at every end of the year, but that has not been happening.

“The minimum loading fee each driver gives UTODA per day is sh15,000. This totals to over sh4m per taxi per year, but UTODA gives each driver a maximum of sh300,000,” Kigongo said.

Unfortunately, drivers are not given receipts to help them calculate how much money they have saved with

UTODA per year and as a result, they cannot demand for their money. Over the last 10 years, the drivers have been devising means of taking on UTODA, but with little success.

“We went to Parliament, met the Police chief Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura and the local government minister, Adolf Mwesige, before we went on strike,” Kigongo said.

They also tried to form alternative associations like the Free Line Tax Club, but UTODA defeated them. Drivers who were loyal to rival associations were allegedly mistreated by UTODA officials.

But as the drivers contemplated the next step, the Lord Mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago, clashed with UTODA.

The clash was sparked off after Lukwago questioned the amount of money UTODA was paying KCC. Angry drivers took advantage of this to let out their anger.

UTODA’s view
John Ndyomugyenyi, the UTODA chairman, admitted that the association had made some mistakes and asked stakeholders to advise the association whenever there is a problem.

Ndyomugyenyi also insisted that UTODA only receives receipted fees. “The loading fee is an arrangement between the drivers and their stage chairpersons and if someone embezzles the funds, the drivers should report him to us.”

Ndyomugyenyi claims the wrangles are being fuelled by drivers who had been arrested for committing crimes. “There were drivers who would beat passengers, policemen and steal from passengers. We dealt with them and they are the ones who have turned against us,” he said, adding that the wrangle had been politicised and was being used to fight the Government.

“If you have a problem, you don’t resort to violence as some of the drivers did during the recent strike. Why should angry drivers throw stones at vehicles that are working?”

About the muscle men, Ndyomugyenyi said some drivers needed such men to enforce discipline.

“Do you hire haggard persons if you are looking for a law enforcement officer? You don’t. That is why UTODA employs strong bodied men,” Ndyomugyeni said.

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