KCCA councilors insist on reopening of Old taxi park

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA councilors have insisted that the Old Taxi Park should be reopened.

Renovation of the park started in May 2020, and was planned to be completed in three months. However, the renovations took longer than expected as a result of heavy rains, and COVID-19 lockdown restrictions which delayed the planned reopening of the park. So far, the authority has completed works on the carpet, drainage system and stairs.

On Tuesday, a special council meeting was convened to review the status of taxi operations in Kampala and the management of Kampala Capital City markets. The meeting follows concerns from the councilors about the delayed reopening of the park.

In September, the council resolved that the park be reopened on October 20.

However, Hakim Kizza, the Executive Secretary for Works and Physical Planning said that on the eve of the reopening, four of the people who have leases on the plots within the park secured an interim order restraining KCCA from opening the park.

KCCA leased out plots of land around the old taxi park to about 13 entities including; Abamwe Transporters, Kabaale distributors, Key and Ham investments among others. They entered into an understanding with KCCA in 2020, to develop the land together in the grand master plan of a storied taxi park which plan is yet to be completed.

Hakim says the individuals own 2.13 hectares of the land and KCCA owns 0.494 hectares of the land where the park is located.

Hence, Sam Sserunkuuma, the Director for Revenue collection says that the matter is before the court and therefore the demands by the councilors can’t be applicable.

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