KAMPALA – Taxi drivers and operators have urged the public to ignore a document on social media, indicating how taxi fares have been hiked as the public transport vehicles return the roads on Thursday, June 4.
Mr Mustafa Mayambala, the chairperson of Uganda Transporters Development Agency (UTRADA), on Monday, June 2, said no agreement has yet been reached on the fares among the taxi drivers.
“The leaders of taxi drivers said they will first discuss the transport fares to be charged; so that both the passengers and drivers do not lose. After discussing, then they will call us and we discuss further on the fair amount that should be added with the reduction in the number of passengers,” he told journalists at the KCCA registration centre for taxis at Kitante Primary School in Kampala.
The President allowed the public transport resume but insisted that the taxis and buses must operate at half capacity. He also ordered all the passengers and drivers must wear masks all the time.
The hiked transport fares are supposed to cover for the empty spaces in the taxis
Mr Yasin Ssematimba of Kampala Operational Taxi Stages Association said taxi drivers said carrying half capacity will affect their work dearly but they have to abide by the rules provided by government.
Meanwhile, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango urged both passengers and the drivers of taxis and buses to plan for their journeys to make sure that they are home by 7pm, the curfew time.
“It is very possible for them to beat the curfew. People need to plan their journey early. If you know your journey takes 30 minutes to reach your place give yourself an allowance of one hour because of traffic jam. so you have to plan by giving an allowance of an extra time of your planned movement to beat the traffic jam,” Mr Onyango added.
