Another armed man attempts to attack Lukwago

By Brian Mayanja

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago survived an attack at the New Taxi Park by an unidentified man, reportedly armed with a firearm, as he addressed taxi drivers and conductors.

The armed man tried to force his way near Lukwago’s vehicle and he refused to be checked by security.

Lukwago’s minders were not allowing people to access his vehicle without going through a thorough check.

Reminiscent of last Friday’s ‘assassination' scare on Lukwago, the man, dressed casually, resisted to be checked. When Lukwago’s vigilant aides noticed that he had a pistol on him, they beat him up to unconsciousness.

However, before it could get any worse, a police officer, Siraje Bakalekke, came to his rescue. He confirmed that the unidentified man was holding a pistol and that he is now being held at Old Kampala police station. 

This is the third time Mayor Lukwago is reportedly facing threats on his life from different people. Last week, Owino vendors attacked him, as he tried to reconcile two rival groups. On Friday, a meeting he convened to review the Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) budget was aborted amidst claims of an assassination plot. 

It's business now

Lukwago, accompanied by a city councilor on Monday, told taxi drivers that top on his priority list this year would be to task those responsible for running city affairs to account for their work.

“Being a ceremonial Lord Mayor ended last year. I am going to supervise all the sectors in KCCA. The pathetic situation Kampala people are living in must come to an end,” he stressed.

Police tries to stop Lukwago's supporters from accessing City Hall

Welfare fees

He attacked the Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (UTODA) for continuing to collect welfare fees and advised the taxi drivers to stop remitting it.

“All the stakeholders had agreed that there be no more collection of welfare fees from drivers. The ministry of works is still probing the matter,” the Mayor explained.

He was responding to Richard Kibuuka, a taxi driver at Bwaise stage, who complained that UTODA agents were still torturing them for refusing to remit welfare fees.

“Apart from that, we have been able to develop ourselves. I have managed to build a house from the money I used to remit as welfare fees,” Kibuuka sounded close to satisfied.

Probe

Meanwhile, Lukwago’s office is investigating the case of sh500m that was disbursed for development of taxi parks. 

“The Auditor General’s report on this matter is very clear. Once we finish internalizing this matter, whoever was behind the swindled money will face the law,” he warned.

When the Mayor finished meeting the drivers and conductors, policemen headed by Central Police Station DPC Norman Musinga stopped him from using Entebbe road on his way back to the KCCA headquarters. When Musinga asked Lukwago to use Mukwano road, he refused.

This prompted his supporters to have a heated verbal clash with Musinga and other police officers. However, Lukwago shortly afterwards gave in, and took the Mukwano route.