The Minister in charge of Kampala Betty Olive Kamya has warned individuals purporting that government has issued a roadmap for the elections of taxi operators.
She said the elements are hoodwinking taxi drivers, forcing them to registering forms so as to participate in the electoral process.
While speaking to the press at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, the Minister refuted the process as unauthentic adding that government is finalizing guidelines of the elections.
“I have received numerous queries from the public asking me the authenticity of claims that government has issued a roadmap for the election of taxi industry leadership,” she told journalists.
“This is not true because a government inter-ministerial committee is still working on modalities for organizing the elections and we shall release the guidelines next week.”
Minister Kamya said that given the controversy that has surrounded this process in the past, government intends to formulate clear guidelines on; eligible voters, polling stations, the number of gazetted taxi parks among others.
“We want to ensure that the outcomes of the elections reflect a general consensus within taxi operators.”
She also spoke strongly against what she called ‘politicization of Kampala city planning’ which she said could hinder efforts to develop the city.
“Often times people praise cities like Kigali, Nairobi and Dar es Salam for their beauty and development. For Kampala to get to that level, we must stop mixing politics with planning,” Kamya said.
To those spreading the falsehoods, the Minister urged to stop sabotaging city development and to allow Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to do its mandate.
In the past, taxi operators have often been at loggerheads with city authorities especially protesting decisions to; relocate taxi parks, introduce new fees and limit passenger loading spots.
The rift between the two sides is further deepened by the fact that the divide within the KCCA political leadership some of whom side with the taxi industry.