The Amalgmated Taxi Stages, Drivers and Conductors Association limited has inaugurated an interim committee headed by Haji Badru Sserunjogi (from Gombe/Kibibi stage) and others. The committee of over 15 members was selected amidst taxi drivers and stage chairpersons to manage the transport affairs in the country with taxi stages and parks following the nullifying of two transport organizations that their operations were suspended after several complaints to government. Government suspended the operations of Kampala Operational Taxi Stages Association (KOTSA headed by Yasin Sematimba and the Uganda Transport Development Agency (UTRADA) headed by one Mustafa Mayambala were suspended from managing taxi operations over mismanagement. The transport agencies were suspended after failing to stream-line their operations across the country. Several complaints were forwarded to different offices including the office of the president which force the taxi drivers and conductors to create a new transport agency to manage the transport affairs and drivers welfares. The starting of a new transport agency in the country is to improve the transport sector following the down fall of the two rival agencies(KOTSA &UTRADA) over the taxi park wars and financial mismanagement of the drivers and conductors funds. The new transport agency committee chairman Haji Badru Sserunjogi has hand-elected a formidable work force team to work with to improve the transport welfare and services including managing taxi parks and stages.Sematimba Godfrey(Bugerere stage secretary) is the acting Vice chairman, Kasagga .R. Mukasa (Entebbe stage) is the secretary general with three others including Kalumba Richard Mark(Entebbe stage) also chaiman for United Honest Drivers &Conductors Saving and Cedit Society ltd.Kaweesi Lawrence(Treasurer) and assisted by Karugire Apollo.Nurudin Mukuye (Publicity),Wamala Juma(Head of security),Kuteesa Edwin(Head of operations),Lubega Abdul Shafiq(Head of Mobilization) plus others with more 20 vacancies to be filled. The new chairman pledged to improve the transport welfares of drivers and conductors on addition to supporting government. During the inaugural meeting organized the New taxi park, the chairman collected over one million shillings (shs1,720,000/=) with cash at shs850,000/= for two offices. Members are expected to pay one thousand shillings (shs1, 000) for admission forms. At first general meeting attended hundreds taxi park and stages chairpersons, Haji Badru Sserunjogi warned over internal squabbles, wars and integrity that have failed the previous organizations. (By PEACOCK KAWEESA)
