Security minister Muruli mediates over taxi row

Jul 11, 2011

SECURITY minister Muruli Mukasa and officials from UTODA and a breakaway group called Drivers and Conductors Association (DACCA) have failed to agree on the dispute over welfare fees.

By Taddeo Bwambale

SECURITY minister Muruli Mukasa and officials from UTODA and a breakaway group called Drivers and Conductors Association (DACCA) have failed to agree on the dispute over welfare fees.

The minister met both parties at his office on Saturday evening, but they failed to agree on scrapping the fees.

According to a source who attended the meeting, the minister urged both parties to resolve the matter amicably to prevent chaos in the city and its suburbs.

He also advised UTODA to consider waiving the welfare fees temporarily to pave way for further talks.

Mustapha Mayambala of the breakaway group yesterday maintained that UTODA scraps the fees.

UTODA, however, argues that it cannot scrap the fee because the drivers established it to solve their financial problems since they are not paid a regular a salary. “We have agreed to halt our operations starting tomorrow until the welfare fees are scrapped,” Mayambala said.

“That money is collected illegally and no accountability is provided. We pay up to sh7m annually in welfare dues, but only get sh50,000 in return. This is extortion.” Mayambala said. The drivers pay an average of sh5,000 daily in welfare fees, but the amount varies depending on the area of operation.

UTODA agents charge a daily receipt fee of sh4,500 and sh20,000 monthly sticker fee in addition to the welfare dues.

Meanwhile, Kampala chief executive director Jennifer Musisi on Saturday said that UTODA had a running contract with KCCA to manage public transport until 2014.

She said the authority would not cancel the contract because it would have legal implications.

“If there was an error in giving UTODA the contract, it was done by our predecessors. It was approved by the contracts committee and we are bound by their decisions,” Musisi said.

“UTODA is not perfect; there are a lot of things its agents are doing which are wrong, but these can be addressed in a systematic and organised manner,” she said.

She said the drivers’ body was already responding well to some of the terms for extension of its contract, which include, among others, settling of an outstanding debt and paying a revised amount.

UTODA pays sh392m monthly to KCCA but the Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago insists that the body collects up to sh4b monthly.

“We have a legal relationship with UTODA. They are our agents; we can manage their contracts like any other,” she said.

She disclosed that UTODA has two running contracts, one of which ends in October this year, with extension to 2014.

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