Arua taxi park congested as construction of new one delays
Crowded. An aerial view of a section of Arua taxi park. As a result of congestion, the park is disorganised with poor sanitary conditions. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM OKELLO.
What you need to know:
Hazardous. Not only the park has turned into a den of thieves but also lacks basic amenities such as clean toilets for passengers and operators.
Arua. The crowded Arua taxi park has been turned into a den of thieves who snatch bags and phones of passengers and passersby.
The park does not have space and it is disorganised with poor sanitary conditions. When it rains, the place becomes a health hazard to both the passengers and those operating in it. This has forced some drivers to quit the taxi park and form illegal parking yards on the roadsides.
For instance, vehicles plying Koboko-Yei-Juba, Arua-Nebbi-Panyimur and Arua-Ariwara routes all park on the roadsides. This has made the town congested, hence narrowing the roads further which is a recipe for accidents. This is a municipality which is vying to attain city status.
Security
Ms Josephine Eden, a passenger who was robbed, said: “Moving here is not safe because it is congested and some of the boys snatched my bags. The municipal council should save us and construct a spacious taxi park because there is no safety and security here for us passengers.”
The problem is compounded by development of the town and the population growth where Arua has become a central business district for many traders and foreign nationals, with some transiting through either to DR Congo or South Sudan to transact business. And the increasing number of vehicles in the town has caught the municipal authorities off-guard to start planning for a bus park to decongest the town and also improve on sanitary conditions.
The park does not have clean toilets for the operators and passengers. The continued congestion is despite the release of Shs20 billion meant for construction of a modern taxi park and abattoir, among others. These projects have not kicked off after about five months of release of the funds.
The outgoing chairperson of Arua Municipal Development Forum, Mr Peter Kamure, said the uncoordinated parking of trucks has narrowed the roads. “We need to have the town look organised because now we have the roads worked on and we cannot continue having illegal bus parks on roadsides,” he said.
The town, which has a population of about 62,657 people, has a small bus park which is usually congested as commuter taxis destined for Moyo, Nebbi, Adjumani, Maracha, Yumbe and Zombo districts all park in the already crowded park.
Mr Jimmy Awuzu, a businessman in the town, said: “These trucks parking at the roadsides keep blocking our businesses and customers find difficulty in accessing the shops. And no action is taken by the municipal authorities. We are moving to city status where we need an organised and clean town.”
Mr Geoffrey Adiga, a driver in the taxi park, said the congestion in the park has caused unnecessary delays at the time of take-off. “You cannot leave the park easily because of the congestion. And theft cases have also increased yet we need our customers to be safe with their goods. The municipal (council) should budget for a spacious bus park because we pay taxes to them,” he said.
Recently, Mr Joseph Paddy, a commissioner in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said the ministry has prepared a strategic development plan for all municipalities and these will be implemented with support from the World Bank.
“People of Arua should be made to work for the city and note that it will be given with the good structures we are already putting in place, the city status will come automatically,” said Mr Paddy.
