Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has so far registered 13,000 taxis in Kampala and metropolitan areas.
Kampala Minister Betty Amongi on Tuesday revealed that the move to register Taxis is meant to streamline, regularize and support their operations. This was during a stakeholders meeting where the National Taskforce on Transport led by Gen Katumba Wamala, also Minister for Works and Transport were meeting taxi operators in a closed door meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). Other ministers present were; Gen Elly Wamala, Security minister, Benny Namugwanya, State minister for Kampala, Joy Kabatsi, State minister for Transport and Peter Ogwang, State minister for ICT.
“Since we started this registration process, KCCA has so far registered 13,000 taxis following the new guidelines. The plan is to make it orderly and easier to support taxi business. We also want to regulate standard fees for private parks. So let's work together to make transport system organized,” Amongi said.
She added that, “we are also trying to organize other areas where we can gazette and form taxi parks. If the size meets the criteria then we shall give it a green light because this will help decongest the city.”
Gen Wamala urged the taxi operators to remain organized and avoid spreading baseless propaganda that government intends to chase them away from transport business.
“Speaking on radios will not help you, now this is the chance for you to tell us your grievances. Don't lie to the public that government wants to chase you from public transport business. What we are saying is that let us give honour to our businesses,” he said.
Gen Tumwine also reechoed urging taxi operators to form a strong body and transparently elect able leaders who will not stifle their operations.
“What you must know is that government is with you and you should also be with us. What we are discussing is not against you but for you. The future belongs to the organized. Let's build an apex body which is inclusive to organize open and transparent elections,” he said.
Minister Ogwang said that the Ministry of ICT is ready to support the public transport system through digital transformation to ease service delivery. The Ministry through help from a team of developers has already developed a Prototype application which will help government to register all Boda bodas operating across the country. The App was today demonstrated to the Ministers.
During the meeting, taxi operators raised pertinent issues affecting their operations such as exorbitant fees charged on them by owners of private taxi parks. Apparently, taxi operators are charged between Shs800,000 to Shs1m as entrance fee and Shs3500 daily to operate in private parks. The money is not receipted and goes to the owners of the private parks.
