Police impounds 212 taxis for flouting KCCA, COVID-19 rules

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda police impounded 212 taxis and 47 buses in Kampala Metropolitan Area on the very day they returned to the roads for flouting new rules for their operations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Yoweri Museveni lifted the ban on public transport on June 1, but with strict restrictions like limiting the number of passengers to half of the vehicle’s capacity. He equally instructed that each of the passengers should have a face mask and that the taxi conductor should sanitize passengers before boarding. The drivers were also asked to register with the city authorities before resuming operations.

But Fred Enanga, the spokesperson of the Uganda Police Force said that many of the drivers had not registered with the city authorities before returning to the road. Others were abusing the route charts released by Kampala Capital City Authority and loaded more than the authorized number of passengers.

Enanga said that some of the taxi’s had no insurance while several others were in dangerous mechanical condition. He warned drivers against flouting the rules saying that they will impound any cars that will be found in bleach and it will be harder for owners to get them back.

Enanga also warned drivers against being incited into demonstrating against the new rules saying all those who will be got will be dealt with a firm hand. He added that if anyone is dissatisfied with the new KCCA and government measures, they should petition the rightful authorities other than going to the streets.

He said this endangers their lives especially at a time when the country is still battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday, police battled rowdy taxi drivers who had stormed the central police station demanding the halting of the registration by KCCA. They said the process was flouted with bribery and unfairness.

Speaking at the same press conference, Peter Kauju, the spokesperson of KCCA said they had registered 3,444 taxis as of today. He said they are not going to allow anybody who has not been registered, to ply any of the Kampala roads. He equally noted that no taxi is going to be allowed to ply any route other than that it has been allocated.

Kauju, however, couldn’t say how many taxis they are going to register to work in the designated Kampala parks. The government has indicated that it wants each taxi working in Kampala to pay 720,000 Shillings every year in taxes.

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