KCCA, taxi drivers to settle fees case out of court

BY Brian Mayanja 

KAMPALA Capital City Authority (KCCA) and taxi drivers’ associations have agreed to settle their disagreement over fees out of court.

 The Drivers and Conductors Central Association (DACCA) and the National Union of Taxi Operators (NUTO) petitioned court challenging a new payment system introduced by the authority.

Under this system, the taxi operators are supposed to pay a monthly fee sh120, 000 to KCCA. The associations argued that the fee levied on taxis was illegal.

 In February, KCCA introduced the fee, after it took over the management of taxi parks from the Uganda Taxi Owners and Drivers Association (UTODA).

The authority in its defence insisted that the fee levied on taxis was much lower than what drivers used to pay to KCC and UTODA.

They also contested the interim committee that was selected to work with KCCA, saying that the authority council never approved it.

Appearing before Justice Benjamin Kabiito of High Court, taxi drivers’ lawyer John Matovu said both parties opted to meet and resolve the dispute.

“We want to meet and solve this matter outside court. We are seeking that this issue be referred to mediation,” Matovu submitted.

KCCA’s lawyer Charles Ouma concurred with Matovu but insisted that if mediation failed, he would ask court to set a date for hearing the case.

Justice Kabiito told them that court would appoint the Deputy registrar of civil division to chair the mediation.

“Court is encouraging parties to solve matters. I will help you to generate a consensus,” he added.

The judge will set a date in September to start hearing the case in the event that mediation fails.

The taxi drivers, who had attended the session, said they were ready to meet KCCA officials over the matter.