KAMPALA – Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has directed the Trade and Tourism Committee to investigate allegations that Ugandan traders have been side-lined in the procurement of the 1000 buses by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
The Speaker’s directive was in reaction to a concern raised by Alex Ruhunda (Fort Portal Municipality) who said that the deal by KCCA contravenes the Buy Uganda Build Uganda policy that was recently adopted by Government intended to stir economic development in the country.
Ruhunda said, “KCCA is making an attempt to procure 1000 buses from India yet President Yoweri Museveni opened a bus assembly industry in Namanve where they are able to make 50buses per day. They have machinery but they are redundant. They have all equipment, machinery it is my concern that we continue suffocating Ugandans and we enrich Indians. That would be wrong for the country. You investigate this matter and ensure that the Ugandan product are promoted.”
While ruling on the matter, Speaker Kadaga said that there is need for Ugandans to promote our own country, “If we are trying to create employment in other countries and there is unemployment in the country. If we import from India we are supporting the Indian economy. I am giving them one week and they report next week,” said Kadaga.
Recently, KCCA revealed that a total of 980 passenger buses will hit Kampala streets in March 2020 in a move aimed at decongesting the city.
The contract will be manned by Tondeka Metro, a transport company, with the buses expected to operate around 25Km radius from the city centre including Kampala-Mukono through Jinja road, Kampala-Nsanji on Masaka Road, Kampala Buloba on Mityana Road, Kampala Wakiso on Hoima Road, Kampala-Matugga on Bombo Road, Kampala- Entebbe and Kampala-Ggaba Road.
According to KCCA, passengers would access services of the buses through the prepaid payments by a bus card that will grant access to passengers through swiping will charge Shs1,200 for a single route card, Shs3,500 for a daily travel card, Shs18,000 for a weekly card and Shs55,000 for a monthly travel card.
The proposal further indicates that the fares collected will go towards repayment of the loan used to purchase the 980 buses which is expected to be completed in three years and after three years, Tondeka will be opened to the public to acquire shares. However, the contractor has remained tightlipped on the amount of loan secured for the loan and if the government has accepted to guarantee the loan.
