Is Lukwago on course to ‘clips’ Utoda wings ?

AL-MAHDI SSENKABIRWA
assenkabirwa@gmail.com
posted on 25 ,August ,2011

Kampala

“I will sort them out! They are simply exploiting people they purport to serve and even the driver themselves are crying,” these are the words City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago used say at most of his rallies during campaigns.

Even since his assumed office on May 20, issues pertaining to Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (Utoda) contract to manage city public transport have been on his table almost daily. It could be drivers complaining of exploitation and harassment from Utoda agents or Utoda officials themselves trying to clear their name.

In all the meetings Lukwago has held with Utoda officials, the former say they have failed to convince him why its contract shouldn’t be withdrawn. “They have proven to be extremely uncooperative and I have no option but to refer their matter to an ordinary Authority meeting to decide their fate,” Lukwago said on August 24 after a special Authority meeting convened to discuss among others, the Utoda contract .However, councilors failed to resolve the matter and defer it to another meeting to be convened in two weeks.

Lukwago also pushes the Authority meeting to approve among other proposals, the split of Utoda contract to manage city taxi parks to allow other players.

“ For effective management and maintenance ,no single service provider should be given a contract to manage more than one taxi park,” he says in his three-page report to the Authority .He says his office empowers him to create policies aimed at improving service delivery in the city.

“What I am proposing is within my mandate and it is in the best interest of the people of Kampala,” he says

Sounding as if he is referring to Utoda, Lukwago said no company limited by guarantee will be contracted to run taxi business in the city in future.

“We shall not sign any contract with any company to provide services in the this sector which is limited by guarantee since companies are not permitted under the law to engage in profit making venture,”

Although Utoda insists that it has a running contract with KCCA, Lukwago rejects this saying its expired a year ago.

Utoda is currently struggling to mend fences with taxi drivers who accuse it of exploitation and harassment. The drivers who even staged a one day sit-down strike last month in protest of mistreatment from Utoda agents oppose payment of welfare fees from each taxi which they say is unaccounted for. The fee rages between Shs 1000 and Shs 10000 depending on the stage.

In addition to these charges, taxi drivers also pay ‘loading fees’, which are equivalent to the fare of three passengers. The fee is paid each time a taxi loads passengers from the taxi park or any city stage.

Government has since suspended the collections until investigations into its use are complete though some driver complain that it is still collected at some stages.

Utoda, which has been managing public transport for over two decades, had earlier vowed not to meet Lukwago saying ‘they need nothing from him’.

But in all the meetings they have had with the Lord Mayor they have appeared apologetic and have repeatedly stated that they are ready to work closely with him to improve public transport in the city. Although Utoda insists that its contract is valid, Lukwago rejects this saying it expired a year ago.

This has pitted him against the city executive Ms Jennifer Musisi who insists that the taxi body has a running contract with KCCA which expires in 2014.

The multi-billion Utoda contract has also divided councilors with a section siding with the Utoda claiming that the Lord Mayor was simply ‘witch-hunting’ the taxi body for no good reason .

“He could have accepted to create a working relationship with them and other things will follow. But basing on what is happening, he is simply making life hard for them,” said Nakawa Division councilor Apollo Mugume on Thursday.

An insider in Utoda who preferred anonymity to speak freely about the matter said due to none-remittance of welfare fees, Utoda can longer afford to clear wages and salaries of some of its staff including traffic wardens and guides.

On average, Utoda was reportedly collecting Shs400million daily from the welfare fees before it was suspended

Lukwago accuses Utoda of under-declaring the number of taxis plying city routes-something he said had caused revenue losses to KCCA. He insists Utoda manages over 12,000 taxis, yet the drivers’ body says they were 7,000.It remains to be seen whether Lukwago will break Utoda monopoly given the fact that the taxi body is politically well-connected with the ruling NRM government.

Ends

Taxi parks in city:

-Old Taxi Park

-New Taxi Park

- Nakawa Taxi Park

-Natete Taxi Park

Lukwago proposals on city public transport :

-Any company contracted to provide services in this sub sector shall be required to remit all the revenue collected onto KCCA collection account and a commission to be paid to such service provider should be agreed upon

-All stickers and receipts to be issued out to PSV operators should be printed by KCCA in its names and regularly given out to the service providers

- All dues payable by the PSV operators should be assessed and collected on a monthly and NOT daily basis

-Each taxi park should be provided with a self-loading refuse truck which shall carry all the garbage generated to the land fill

-KCCA should prepare an ordinance to regulate the management and conduct of PSV transport in Kampala

-A service provider contracted to manage a particular taxi park should be responsible for general maintenance

Of all the facilities thereon including public conveniences and pothole repairs .