PRESS STATEMENT 8th November 2014 Fellow Ugandans, residents of Kampala, users of public transport and members of the public, Kampala Capital City Authority in a bid to streamline the operations of the taxi industry and its relationship with the members of the taxi industry issued a programme this week for the election of the leaders of the members of the taxi industry. These elections are slated for the 29th November 2014. The KCCA would like to assure the travelling members of the public that this endeavour on the part of the stakeholders is intended to have a more formal arrangement through which the parties can have a dialogue on matters involving the taxi industry. This has been a product of several engagements spearheaded by the Minister responsible for Kampala Capital City in which members of the taxi industry, particularly from the Taxi Park Stages Committee (TAPSCOM), Uganda Transport Development Agency (UTRADA) and National Union of Drivers, Cyclists and Allied Workers (NUCDAW) have been involved. The Uganda Police Force under the auspices of the Inspector General of Police has been very supportive in our interactions. Following these engagements, it was resolved by the parties that; a) The KCCA and Electoral Commission organise the election of the taxi leaders; b) That the structures at the taxi stage level be maintained for purposes of the elections. It has been brought to our attention that a press statement was recently issued by National Union of Drivers, Cyclists and Allied Workers (NUCDAW) to the effect that as workers, they have a right to associate and form a labour union and the mandate to organize the elections of their branch leaders, including taxi operators; and that the elections for taxi industry leaders being organized by KCCA and the Electoral Commission is null and void. This organization, NUCDAW has also insisted that it will go on with the intended elections on the 10th November 2014 without fail. We would like to categorically state that we appreciate the Constitutional right of every person to associate and assemble and for workers to form unions. However, we take serous issue with the manoeuvres of NUCDAW to manifestly disparage the statutory mandate of the KCCA to organise the elections of taxi leaders in Kampala Capital City. We take great exception to the conduct of NUCDAW and its leadership from attempting to derail the efforts made by the stakeholders to pursue law and order in the management of the taxi industry in Kampala Capital City. However, we are not surprised by these machinations being perpetrated by the NUCDAW leadership, some of whom were behind the unsuccessful efforts to block the Boda Boda registration exercise conducted by KCCA last year. We would therefore like to advise the members of the taxi industry against participating in a sham election organised by an entity that intends to usurp the mandate of KCCA. Unlike what NUCDAW seems to think, KCCA would like to advise that it is vested with the mandate to manage the taxi industry in Kampala Capital City and would like to involve the members of the taxi industry in this management. However, like any industry with very many players, there is need to engage through an organised leadership. We would also like to invite the members of the current taxi associations to participate in the stakeholder engagements that KCCA and the Electoral Commission has organised starting on the 10th November 2014-13th November 2014 at City Hall, Committee Room 2 to develop guidelines for the election of the taxi leaders slated for the 29th November 2014. We would like to assure the members of the public and the taxi industry that any attempts by NUCDAW to engage in any form of illegal assembly, disorderly conduct and breach of the peace shall be met with the strong arm of the law and we do implore the Kampala Metropolitan Police and the management of Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium, where the intended illegal elections are slated to take place, to take note of this and ensure law and order reigns in the city. For God and my Country Jennifer S. Musisi EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR kcca.go.ug
Posted on: Sat, 08 Nov 2014 11:29:51 +0000
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