Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA has temporarily halted the eviction of Taxi drivers and Vendors from the new taxi park to pave way for redevelopment until they are allocated an alternative place to operate from. On July 27th, Jennifer Musisi, the KCCA executive director issued an eviction notice to the taxi operators and vendors to vacate the new Taxi Park on September 01 to pave way for its redevelopment.
According to the notice issued by Musisi, the demolition of the old structures would would commence on September 08 to kick start the construction works. But on Tuesday, KCCA councilors resolved to halt the eviction of Taxi operators and vendors until the authority finds an alternative place to operate from. Elijah Owobusige, the representative of Makindye Division said despite the fact that KCCA has already hired Arab Contractors to undertake the construction, the authority has not allocated Taxi operators and vendors an alternative place to execute their work.
He said evicting the taxi operators and vendors without allocating them an alternative place to operate from, would affect their survival since the Taxi Park is their only source of income. Hawa Namugenyi, the councilor Lubaga division also queried why Musisi zeroed in on Arab contractors without seeking approval from council. But Apollo Mugume, the councilor for Nakawa would not have any of this. He wondered why Erias Lukwago, the KCCA lord mayor brought up the Taxi park redevelopment debate yet none of the affected people had come up to complain.
Lukwago defended his decision saying that while there is need to redevelop the new taxi park, the authority should be mindful about the survival of the people working there. Joseph Mujuzi, the councilor for Lubaga Division moved a motion to halt the process until KCCA identifies an alternative place for the taxis and vendors to operate from.
Councilors Babirye Katende and Madina Nsereko supported the motion tabled by Mujuzi to suspend the eviction of the taxis and vendors. Joseph Ssemambo, the KCCA acting director in charge of physical planning says they are in advanced stages to find an alternative place to relocate the taxis and vendors.
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