Over two weeks ago, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) released plans of streamlining and regulating the public transport sector in the city, and work has already started to refurbish the Old Taxi Park.
Other measures KCCA is planning to implement include registering boda bodas and taxis operating in the City and creating a digital database for them by KCCA, gazetting parks, stages, routes and stops for them, introducing route numbers and colours for all the taxis to enhance order in the business as well as identification for drivers and riders.
With the introduction of Tondeka buses edging closer, taxi and boda boda operators fear that these measures are intended to systematically phase them out of the city centre.
However, KCCA ran an online poll on their social media platforms a few days ago and the results showed that up to75% of respondents support KCCA’s plans, for the city needs to be transformed and the way people get around the city ought to change.
In the past, there has been commotion, confusion, and long queues of traffic along the city’s roads especially during rush hours, and so people feel that these new measures will address all that and more.
KCCA is making consultations with all stakeholders in the public transport sector to find a middle ground to implement these measures.