Taxi strike paralyses transport

Sep 11, 2006

COMMUTER transport within the city and across the country was yesterday paralysed as the Police launched a crackdown on vehicles without speed governors.

By Patrick Jaramogi
COMMUTER transport within the city and across the country was yesterday paralysed as the Police launched a crackdown on vehicles without speed governors.

The operation that is aimed at reducing accidents and ridding the country of vehicles in poor mechanical condition, started in the wee hours on the major city routes.

The few taxis with speed governors took advantage of the crackdown to more than double the fares.

At the old and new taxi parks, hundreds of passengers were stranded as drivers led by the taxi operators and drivers association (UTODA) guides barred all taxis from leaving or entering the park.
The taxi touts and guides also staged roadblocks on major roads leading to the city centre and forced drivers to off-load passengers.

It took the intervention of UTODA national chairman John Ndyomugenyi to contain the situation that was building up into a national strike.

Kampala region traffic chief Sarah Kibwika said, “The regulation on speed governors was initiated in 2004. We started with lorries and buses but now we are targeting all vehicles as stipulated in the law. Vehicles lacking speed governors should be de-registered.”
Over 200 vehicles, mainly commuter taxis, were de-registered and their number plates plucked off.

Kibwika said the owners would have to re-register with Uganda Revenue Authority for new number plates after getting a clearance certificate from the Inspector of Vehicles in Naguru and the Ministry of Works.

Ndyomugenyi described the act of removing the number plates as primitive. “we protested against that and we have appealed to Police to release the plates as the owners install speed governors. We also appeal to all drivers to install genuine speed governors in their vehicles. Those who don’t have money can get them using loans accessible through Post Bank.”

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