Market vendors and taxi operators in Usafi Market have tasked Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to issue directives for all the taxis that ply the Entebbe route to load from the Usafi taxi park.
These contend that most of the customers who used to support their businesses were the people who frequented the Usafi Taxi park which is no longer functioning. This, they said, has taken a toll on their businesses as they don’t have customers.
“The taxi drivers are using this taxi park as a parking yard for vehicles, they keep them here but as their time for loading reaches, they go to the Old Taxi park. We no longer receive passengers this side,” Ssenkumba Brian, one the drivers on Entebbe stage Usafi taxi park.
He also pointed out that that they are surprised that KCCA already gazetted Entebbe stage in Usafi but without valid reasons, it went back to the Old Taxi where it had been removed some years back.
Deogratius Ssemanda, the chairperson of the market reported to the officials from KCCA and Presidential Advisor Hilary Kisanja that the market is in a sorry state with leaking roofs, poor drainage system and unfair electricity billing which has scared away many vendors.
“In the past years we used to make some good money but with the migration of taxis and poor state of the market, many of the people here can spend a day without making any coin,” Ssemanda said.
In response to their queries, Eng. David Deputy Executive Director KCCA, promised that as soon as he returns to his office he would work with his team to address the mentioned challenges.
“Rumors pinning KCCA officials of being behind the mess in the taxi business for personal gains are not true because we are servants of the people who earn salaries and have no time to engage in taxi work. To prove this, I can assure you that within one month, all the taxis on Entebbe Road would have returned in this Usafi part,” he said.
Hillary Kisanja, the presidential private secretary for youth said he will forward their views to President Museveni and concerned authorities for intervention.
“In the process of helping the people, I stepped on many people’s feet which created me more enemies than before and therefore, nobody should sabotage your businesses with a view that he is working for me or state house,” Kisanja said.
“Avoid being misled by the politicians who are always focusing on gaining mileage but killing people’s business at the same time. We are focusing on fighting the economic war not political war,” he added.
This 6.2 Acre market started in 2012, was bought off by government from private investors in 2015 on orders of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to create a harmonious working environment for street vendors who had been evicted from the streets by then.
