KAMPALA–On his way to Entebbe, President Yoweri Museveni found a difficult time convincing the commuter taxis operators, who had staged a protest over KCCA monthly compulsory fees, to allow him to move.
This happened when the President had reached Clock Tower near the traffic lights along Entebbe Road.
To get attention from the President, some taxis operators stood in the middle of the road, begging to talk to the President.
The security agents tried to chase them away but they refused until the President spoke to them.
His convoy stopped and he stood up, adorned in military fatigues.
The taxi operators told him about the monthly compulsory fee KCCA levied on them. The President got the microphone and told them he was heading to Mbale district but promised to handle their case tomorrow.
“I also want to talk your chairman,” the President said in Luganda, a local language. Taxi operators gave him the mobile phone number of Mustafah Mayambala, the chairperson of Drivers and Conductors Central Association (DACCA).
Mayambala said they are still sticking to the directive of the President.
Taxis operators have refused to the month fee for the months of August, September and October.
But KCCA also vowed to charge them since commercial road user fees.
They want to pay annual fees, agreed by taxis operators and KCCA. Currently , KCCA charges Shs120,000 on every commuter taxis operating in the city monthly.
At beginning of this week, the authority launched a crackdown on the defaulters, a move many taxis operators said it was unfair when there is a Presidential directive halting multiple taxations.
In a notice issued last week to all owners and operators of commuter taxis, special hires, buses, lorries and pickups, KCCA wants them to settle their dues with KCCA to avoid inconveniences arising from enforced recovery.
KCCA warned to impound the vehicles whose owners fail to pay the dues.
“You are further informed that KCCA is resuming enforcement operations anytime,” the notice reads.
Kampala minister Beti Kamya and the cabinet agreed that the drivers should continue paying taxes until July next year to allow KCCA completes the formulation of the 2018-19 city budget.
