Operations to steamline the transport sector in Kampala city have today been directed on taxis plying the Entebbe Road route.
Today early morning, taxi operators majorly Entebbe road drivers witnessed the anger and ruthlessness of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) security operatives as they ejected them out of New Taxi Park.
The operation that was jointly executed together with police and the army is in the implementation of the KCCA Public Transport Re-Organization Directive which was issued two years ago.
As per the order, all taxis plying the Entebbe road routes were supposed to relocate to the Old Taxi Park, Usafi Park and Kisenyi Gwanda Park.
This hindered the operations of most taxis on Entebbe road. As a result, majority of them relocated in line with the directive, while a sizeable number of them maintained illigal presence in the New Taxi Park.
In the process 8 taxi drivers were arrested.
One of the KCCA enforcement officers who talked to us on condition of anonymity disclosed that the arrested drivers have illegaly mantained their presence in the new taxi park, and that they will be paraded before KCCA court on charges of defying lawful orders and disrupting business in the city.
The Chief coordinator for Entebbe Stage and Secretary for Kisenyi Taxi Park said the operations of KCCA, Army and Police to evict the taxis from the new park and streamline their operations are legal and were lobbied for.
He added that many drivers mantained illegal presence in the new taxi park under the cover of false approval from Colonel Edith Nakalema, and UPDF spokesperson, Brigadier Flavia Byekwaso.
In the past weeks, KCCA authorities have taken steps to eject vendors from the city streets. Next on their firing line are the boda boda cyclists, who will soon be banned from the city centre.
As it was expected due to several past warnings, taxi operators have also fallen victims to vigorous KCCA operations to streamline city public transport, a move intended to improve traffic flow in the city, and curtail traffic jam congestion.
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