Govt Suspends Charges ‘Slapped’ on Kampala Taxi operators for one month

KAMPALA – The Minister for Kampala Capital City, Betty Amongi has revealed that all charges imposed by taxi associations have been suspended for one month.

Hon. Amongi made the revelations while addressing the media on Wednesday, July 8 at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.

The directive that takes effect on Thursday, July 9 will bar taxi associations withdraw the collected welfare fees held on their various accounts until the sector is regularised.

“All taxi drivers being forced to pay the above fees are encouraged to report the cases of extra charges to KCCA Park Administrators or to the nearest Police Station,” she said.

She further revealed that KCCA signed an MoU with Private Taxi Parks not to charge parking fees exceeding UGX 3,500 per vehicle per day.

“We have, however, received a series of complaints from various individuals in the taxi business indicating that some private parks are charging higher amounts than those agreed upon in the MoU — this is unacceptable,” she told the media.

Among further noted that they have informed all private taxi park owners not to allow payment of stage fees and all other illegal charges and directed them not to charge parking fees exceeding UGX 3,500 per day per vehicle.

“Failure to comply with the fees determined as per the MoU shall lead to KCCA revoking the MoU and degazetting such parks as several landowners in the city have expressed interest in offering such services at the rate KCCA has set,” said Among.

In May 2018, His Excellence the President directed KCCA to sensitize and facilitate taxi drivers and conductors to form SACCOs so as be supported by government.

Now the minister has advised that during the one month when the fees have been suspended, all Taxi Drivers/Conductors’ SACCOs and Associations which are already in existence should report to the Directorate of Gender, Community Services and Production at KCCA Headquarters (City Hall) Level 2 Wing B, with their registration documents/certificates in order to have their SACCOs regularized.

“Those who have not yet formed SACCOs and would like to do so should organize themselves and report to the Directorate of Gender, Community Services and Production at KCCA for guidance on the formation of SACCO,” she said.