KAMPALA – Only registered taxis will be allowed on the road as public transport reopens on Thursday, June 4, 2020, government has said.
Registration of taxis is ongoing at Kitante Primary School and Old Kampala Secondary School to assign route numbers and colours for easy identification.
And on Tuesday, June 2, a meeting attended by KCCA officials, Minister for Works and Transport Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, Kampala Ministers, Security Minister Elly Tumwine and leaders of taxi operators resolved that only registered taxis with stickers will be allowed on the road.
The process that started this week was meant to end on 12th June, 2020 but Gen. Wamala said all taxis shall have to be registered before the process ends. The decision to open only registered taxis was taken despite requests from taxi leaders that they all operate as registration continues.
As taxis return to the roads, they are required to have hand washing facilities or sanitisers for passengers to use, taxi operators and passengers should wear masks and any taxi found carrying passengers without masks risks losing their licence.
Also, taxis are only permitted to carry half the capacity of the licenced 14 passengers, a decision that could lead to a hike in transport fares.
Gen. Wamala says they will continue engaging as government and taxi operators to harmonise on pricing.
Mustafa Mayambala, the chairman UTRADA, says they will comply with the guidelines but raises concern about the number of passengers per taxi and it’s effect on pricing. They have not come up with new rates as they await guidance from government, he says. However, he says that prices will have to rise for operators to compensate on lost passengers.
