Kampala illegal taxi stages evicted

In its operations to stop illegal businesses in the city, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the Police are evicting taxi drivers, operating along the streets.

The eviction exercise has started at Mini-price up to the Equatorial Hotel,  KCCA declared the stages to be illegal

Together with Police, the authority blocked the taxi operators from parking their vehicles.  The areas are manned by both the KCCA enforcement officers and Police men.

Any commuter taxi driver trying to stage at Mini price or Equatorial Hotel, is ordered to go either  to the Old or New taxi parks.

Many dwellers residing in the city suburbs of Nakulabye, Mengo, Kasubi, Bwaise and Kawempe have been using commuter taxis operating in these areas.

After the eviction, they will have to walk to the designated taxi parks, New, Old taxi parks, or at USAFI.

For almost a year, KCCA has been warning the taxi drivers to stop setting up illegal stages in the city centre, arguing that more parks are in place.

Rashid Ssekindi, the Kampala Operational Taxi stage Association welcomed the move, adding that they  are working with KCCA and the Police, to stream line the taxi business.

Ssekindi said the illegal stages had brought congestion in the city.

"Due to illegal congestion, it would take almost two hours to maneuver through the city. And the congestion was also helping the pick picketers, to steal mobile phones, ladies' bags and wallets from the passengers,"Ssekindi explained.

After clearing Mini Price area and Equatorial Hotel areas, KCCA and Police are moving to evict taxi drivers operating near Shoprite, Mega Standard and Yamaha Centre.

 "Starting next week, we shall be evicting them. We only use forcefully evictions, if the taxi drivers fail to comply," Ssekindi said.

But Mustapha Mayambala, the chairperson of Drivers and Conductors Central Association, said it is wrong to evict taxi drivers because the said the three taxi parks are not enough to accommodate all the taxis.

 "The solution is to create taxi parks in all the five city divisions of Kampala. This is what I always tell KCCA officials, if they want to fight congestions in the city," he added.

Evicting illegal stages comes at a time when the taxi drivers and conductors are divided on whether they should participate in elections or not.

Last year, President Museveni directed Kampala minister Beti Kamya to organize elections for all the taxi drivers and conductors, so that they elect their leaders.

The purpose is to have one taxi body, to replace the defunct Uganda Taxis Operators and Drivers Association (UTODA).

Last week, taxi drivers almost wanted to beat KCCA officials, who were sensitizing them on the importance of the election.

They protested the move by KCCA to impose election exercise without their consent.

Ssekindi said the taxi operators fear to participate in the elections because it will bring individuals who are engaged in the business.

"If KCCA accepts those in the business to elect their leaders, it is okay," he noted

For Mayambala, he explained that instead of Government organizing elections, it should empower the leadership at every stage.