The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament plans to investigate the alleged corruption in Masaka Taxi Park, that has led to the loss of more than 1billion shillings in the last three years.
On Friday, more than 10 members of Parliament on the Public Accounts Committee visited Masaka main taxi park to investigate the wrangles that have rocked the park for some years.
The MPS led by Jack Sabiiti, the PAC chairperson recorded statements from a number of drivers and traders about the state of the taxi park.
MP Betty Nambooze also asked Masaka Mayor Godfrey Kayemba and Town Clerk Johnson Baryantuma to explain why most cars were operating outside the main taxi park. The two officials were put to task to explain why they have turned the taxi park into a residential area.
Nambooze, who is also the Local Government shadow Minister says she is shocked by the poor sanitation in the main taxi park.
MP Gertrude Nakabira Lubega of Lwengo district, also a member of PAC says she is shocked by the poor state of the park and the redundancy in the park.
// Cue in: “The town clerk has told us…….”
Cue out: “……not functioning.”//
In March this year, Masaka municipal council terminated the contract of Equator Touring Services and BATATA Company after two years of wrangling and awarded the taxi park tender to Masaka United Taxi Drivers and operators Cooperative Society.
But Equator touring services and BATATA Company which concurrently managed the taxi parks protested the termination of their contracts. Equator touring services refused to vacate the taxi park while BATATA sued the Municipality seeking a compensation of 1billion shillings.
Godfrey Kayemba, the Masaka Mayor says the refusal by Equator touring services to vacate the park has divided the drivers forcing some of them to abandon the main taxi park.
MP Jack Sabiiti, the PAC Chairperson says they are also investigating how the tendering process for the management of the taxi park was carried out. He says there are corruption allegations cited in the auditor general’s report 2009-2010.
MP Sabiiti explains that parliament decided to come and investigate the park wrangles because the auditor general’s a report show that close to 1billion shillings has been lost for the last many years.
According to Sabiiti, the Municipality is losing over 20millions every month due to park wrangles.
Earlier on Friday, PAC detained three senior Masaka town Clerks for alleged embezzlement of over 260millions shillings.
