Taxi driver attempts to burn self at KCCA office
There was panic at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) headquarters yesterday as a 24-year-old taxi driver holding a five-litre jerrycan of petrol attempted to burn himself over new Passenger Service Vehicle regulations.
Mr Mutwahihu Bogere Wasswa, the chairperson of Bweyogerere-Bukasa Taxi Stage, was arrested by police before he could set himself ablaze.
Mr Wasswa was protesting against the KCCA project of establishing route charts for taxis that had made several taxi operators lose jobs and business.
The Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Mr Patrick Onyango, said Mr Wasswa was being held on offence of attempted suicide.
“What he was trying to do is criminal. Our teams have been able to save his life and he will be investigated for attempting suicide,” Mr Onyango said.
This is the second incident in which a person has attempted to set himself a blaze over passenger service vehicle regulations.
On July 2, a boda boda rider in Masaka District, set himself on fire and died after his motorcycle was impounded by police who refused to release his motorcycle after allegedly demanding a bribe. The incident led to the arrest of the officers and an investigation into their conduct.
While easing the Covid-19 lockdown due to the spread of coronavirus on Passenger Service Vehicles, the government ordered taxi operators in Kampala Metropolitan area to register and also get route charts before they could resume operations.
At least 13,000 taxis have been issued route charts while others that have not fulfilled all the requirements are still grounded.
Mr Onyango also indicates that the attempted suicide is a copycat of the Masaka incident.
“The suspect’s issues are very easy to solve. Members of the community should not take their lives on issues that can be solved by relevant authorities,” he said.
