Taxi operators, traffic police clash
Taxi operators in Kampala have accused traffic police of blocking them from carrying the full capacity of Passengers despite the transport sector being fully reopened.
While addressing the nation on Friday last week, the President Yoweri Museveni emphasized that the transport sector, which has been operating at 50%, will be opened fully, but with the necessary SOP’s such as the wearing of masks, full vaccination by both the crew of PSV and the travelers.
However, a section of taxi operators at the taxi park claim some traffic officers are still maintaining all restrictions including banning them from carrying at least three passengers per seat.
Ainebyonna Benon, a secretary at one of the stages operating at the taxi park, says police are contradicting what their leaders have advised them by restricting the number of passengers they are carrying. Ainebyona says besides observing all the standard operating procedures, they have increased the seating capacity from the previous two passengers to now three, but traffic police are blocking them.
Mayambala Mustafa, the vice chairman of Joint Taxi Operator’s Consortium agrees that Taxi operators have clashed with traffic police on the same.
Taxi operators, traffic police clash
Mayambala says the traffic police are operating without guidance from the Ministry of Transport by blocking them. He says that carrying two passengers per seat would imply that fares stay high for passengers.
Mayambala says they have reached out to the relevant authorities to intervene on their behalf.
Meanwhile Taxi operators have called on the government to enforce presidential directives on mandatory full vaccination of all travelers.
The taxi operators argue they don’t have the capacity to force people to present their vaccination cards saying it should be the mandate of the government. They are calling upon the Ministry of health to work with security operatives in enforcing the directives.
Compiled by Rashidah Nakaayi
