Eight taxi operators have been arrested during an operation mounted by Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA, to eject taxis plying Entebbe Road routes from the New Taxi Park.
The joint operation carried out together with police and the army early today is in the implementation of the KCCA Public Transport Re-Organization Directive which was issued two years ago with the intent to improve traffic flow in the city.
According to the directive, all taxis plying the Entebbe roads routes were expected to relocate to the Old Taxi Park, Usafi Park and Kisenyi Gwanda Park. The directive affected taxis to Namasuba-Zzana, Kajjasi-Kitende, Entebbe Town, Abayita Ababiri-Nkumba, Kasenyi and Entebbe-Kitooro.
Although a majority of the taxis relocated in line with the directive, a sizeable number of them maintained a presence in the New Taxi Park. The Deputy Spokesperson of the New Taxi Park Abdulshafie Lubega says that the reallocation is intended to ease congestion in the park.
Edrine Kasule, the Coordinator of Entebbe Stage and Secretary for Kisenyi Taxi Park says they invited KCCA and police to evict the taxis and streamline their operations. He said that many of the drivers who defied the directive were using the names of Colonel Edith Nakalema and Brig. Flavia Byekwaso to entrench themselves in the park.
A KCCA officer who preferred anonymity said that the arrested drivers will be arraigned before the KCCA court on charges of defying lawful orders and disrupting business in the city – URN.
