Kyotera drivers strike over illegal parks
Mr George Kiberu (R) speaks to some of the taxi operators who are challenging the authorities over payment of what they call illegal fees. PHOTO BY GERTRUDE MUTYABA
MASAKA: Taxi drivers plying the Masaka–Kyotera route on Monday abandoned the gazetted taxi park protesting daily fees yet there are few or no passengers.
The drivers parked thier vehicles on the roadside.
“We see no reason why we pay for receipts and continue to use the taxi park when others are using illegal roadside parks,” said Mr Ahmed Mugerwa, a taxi driver on the Kyotera stage.
In a meeting held on Monday, taxi operators said they would only return to the park after police have banned all roadside taxi parks in Masaka Town.
Mr Mugerwa said many of their colleagues have been arrested and their vehicles impounded for not paying taxi fees which he said are illegal because President Museveni banned them recently.
They accused the chairperson of Masaka United Taxi Drivers and Owners Cooperative Society, Mr George Kiberu, of paying a deaf ear as taxi drivers are tortured and forced to pay illegal charges.
However, Mr Kiberu said they had passed a resolution suspending all taxi fees collections in the municipality until misunderstandings are resolved.
Each taxi is charged Shs5,000 every time it leaves the main taxi park.
