Taxi operators abandon Usafi park

Taxi operators have abandoned Usafi Taxi Park and created illegal stages on different city streets and roads, accusing Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) of failing to crack the whip on their colleagues who have abandoned public parks.
Some of the taxi operators who spoke to Daily Monitor at the weekend said although KCCA had banned all illegal stages a couple of years ago, they have failed to enforce the law.
“There are just a handful of taxis in Usafi park because majority of taxi operators have abandoned it. The problem is that passengers who would go to board from Usafi, find taxis parked on illegal stages around Clock Tower, Shoprite and Entebbe Road. This makes it difficult for taxis in Usafi to get passengers,” Mr Yusuf Ssembatya, a former taxi operator in Usafi, said.

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Gazetted
Usafi Park, which neighbours Usafi Market, was gazetted in 2014 as a public park to shuttle passengers who use the southern routes.
However, since its establishment, it has failed to pick up because of the many illegal stages on Entebbe Road.
Mr Peter Kaujju, the KCCA director of public and corporate affairs, acknowledged the problem, saying they are planning a massive crackdown to restore order in the city.
“We are aware that majority of taxi operators are on illegal stages but we shall evict them because those stages were banned and we cannot allow them to frustrate other businesses in the city centre because it is our mandate as KCCA to ensure order,” Mr Kaujju said.
He said they are planning to gazette more parks and stages.