Groups of taxi drivers and commuter taxi owners have petitioned court protesting against the high taxes the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) levies on them. The KCCA recently directed the drivers to pay a monthly operational tax fee of 120,000 shillings. The drivers filed at their application at the High Court in Kampala today saying that the new tax fee levied by KCCA is illegal.

The drivers led by Mustafa Mayambala, Henry Ssentongo, Rashid Mugenyi, and Yose Kaweesa petitioned the court through their lawyers of Matovu and Co advocates. The drivers sued KCCA together with its Executive Director Jenifer Musis Ssemakula.

Ms Musisi announced on March 8 this year that the drivers were to pay the new tax operation fee starting with the month of April. The drivers want the court to declare that the tax levy is illegal since it was not passed by an Act of Parliament. The petitioners further state that KCCA and Ms Musisi are breaching the law by usurping powers that are only exclusive to Parliament.

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She says that the commuter taxi drivers have no choice but to pay the 120,000 shillings if they want to remain in Kampala. Ms Musisi says that she will not be moved by the strikes the taxi drivers stage. The taxi drivers suggest that they are capable of paying only 70,000 shillings to the council.

Ms Musisi says that the request of the taxi drivers is unacceptable and whoever doesn’t want to pay 120,000 shillings should better leave the taxi business.

The KCCA director says that the council will impound all the taxis whose owners have not paid the tax rates.  Ms Musisi says that the new taxi fees will be enforced by UTODA and the interim taxi management committee.

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Drama ensued onDuster street in Kampala city today when a group of angry taxi drivers stormed radio one and Kaboozi FM demanding the head of a radio presenter popularly known as Basajja Mivule. The drivers accused Mivule of being biased whenever he discusses the issue concerning the transport business inKampala.

The drivers complain that Mivule has been rubbishing commuter taxis for long advocating for their banning in favour of a bus company called Pioneer Easy Bus which is owned by big shots inUgandagovernment.

The drivers also accused Mivule of being bribed by the directors of Pioneer Easy Bus Company to promote the bus business and make town dwellers to shun taxi transport.

But unfortunately, on the drivers’ side, Mivule had been tipped off and ran away. The angry drivers left the radio stations singing pro Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago songs and anti president Museveni songs.

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Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) councilors boycotted a meeting called by the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. Lukwago had called the meeting to approve the fees for taxi operators working in Kampala. The meeting failed to take place on Wednesday at KCCA head offices in Kampala.

Lukwago told journalists that it was the councilors who had requested him to call the meeting but he was surprised when the same councilors rejected the meeting they had wanted.

The councilors were supposed to endorse the 120; 000 shillings set by the KCCA director, Jenifer Musisi or endorse the taxi drivers’ proposal to pay 70, 000 shillings per month.

Only six councilors turned up for the meeting with Lukwago. We are told that the KCCA director took the councilors who were meant to be in Lukwago’s meeting on a tour of the city.

Ultimate Media

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The Taxi drivers and conductors made the announcement at press conference held at Speke hotel in Kampala today.

Kampala old taxi park

The announcement of the strike by drivers came after the Lord mayor advised drivers not to any fees to UTODA on ground that it has no contract with KCCA.

The chairperson of the Drivers and conductor Association Mustafa Mayambala said that they will lay down tools on money   Monday 11^th July.

He said that the drivers are protesting the UTODA’s illegal collection of welfare dues from Taxi drivers and harassment of drivers by police on orders of UTODA for the drivers who refuse to pay the illegal fees.

The drivers said that it is painful to see government waive the legal licences for traders and kept silent to the long standing grievances of drivers over the illegal fees UTODA is charging from the Taxi drivers yet it has no contract with Kampala capital city Authority.

They said that on Monday next week, drivers will park their vehicles until government respond to their problems and they asked the owners to bear with situation as they clean UTODA mess.

The drivers claim that UTODA charge a stage welfare fee of sh4,000 by the stage guide. In addition, they pay a loading fee of about sh8,000 for every route.

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