The long awaited elections for the new taxi drivers’ leadership is set to take place in March next year, The Sunrise has learnt.
The decision follows a stake holders’ meeting chaired by the Minister for Kampala Beti Namisango Kamya held on Monday this week at the president’s office.
According to sources who attended the meeting however, it was resolved that the elections will not be held under the tax management guidelines passed by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in conjunction with the office of former Kampala Minister Frank Tumwebaze in 2014.
This is because Beti Kamya reportedly annulled them (the KCCA guidelines) on grounds that they were disenfranchising taxi drivers by establishing electoral colleges rather than universal adult suffrage as emphasized by president Museveni in accordance directives he issued in October last year.
However, the question of the conductors’ participation in the coming elections remained unresolved with the two warring factions of Uganda development Transport Agency (UTRADA) and Kampala Operational Taxi stages Association (KOTSA) sharply divided on the matter.
According to sources, it (the disagreement on conductors’ participation) will be resolved before the end of this month in yet another stakeholders’ meeting still to be chaired by Beti Kamya who reportedly flew out of the country soon after the explosive meeting.
Taxi drivers are reported to have applauded Beti Kamya for also rejecting taxation guidelines intended for harmonizing taxation in the transport business which were presented in the meeting by the Local government minister Jennifer Namuyangu.
Kamya reportedly contended that they (Namuyangu’s guidelines) allegedly perpetuate multiple taxation which was abolished by president Museveni last year following a strike by taxi drivers protesting payment of local tax hitherto charged by district local governments on top Ushs 120,000 being charged by KCCA from every passengers’ service vehicle (PSV).
Taxi drivers also contended that much as they are the key stake holders in the public transport industry, they were not consulted by the (Local government) minister in the process of constituting the said guidelines and consequently another consultative meeting to resolve the impasse has been scheduled to take place on the 19th this month at the President’s office.
” There is no way such guidelines can be passed without consulting key stake holders including players in the business, of taxis, buses, lorries and vehicles for special hire.” Beti Kamya reportedly said.
The meeting was attended by Kampala’s Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Sarah Bananuka, Kampala Metropolitan Traffic Commander Norman Musinga Kampala Metropolitan Police Commissioner of Police Frank Mwesigwa, Dr. Stephen Kasiima, Director of traffic and road safety, Transport Licensing Board (TLB) Secretary Winston Katushabe, KCCA Director in charge of revenue Sam Sserunkuma, and delegations from; the Uganda Transport Development Association (UTRADA),Kampala Operational Taxi stages Association (KOTSA), the Attorney Generals’ office among others.
