Police led by Masaka City Police Commander Moses Nanoka intervened after leaders of Masaka United Taxi Operators and Drivers Cooperative Society engaged in bitter clashes with their counterparts plying the Kampala-Kyotera and Kampala-Mbarara routes, accusing them of setting up illegal roadside stages.
The police have used teargas to quell rowdy taxi
operators who were fighting over the operation of illegal parking
spaces and stages in Masaka.
Police led by Masaka City Police Commander Moses Nanoka intervened after leaders of Masaka United Taxi Operators and Drivers
Cooperative Society engaged in bitter clashes with their counterparts plying the
Kampala-Kyotera and Kampala-Mbarara routes, accusing them of
setting up illegal roadside stages.
Bashir Mawanda, the Chairperson of the group said that their counterparts had resumed
operating a mini taxi park along the Masaka-Kyotera and Masaka-Mbarara road. Mawanda accused Ali Kafeero, a taxi driver along the Kampala-Mbarara
road of leading a group that was forcefully resuming to operate from illegal
taxi parks and stages.
But Kafeero insisted that it was illegal for them
to load and offload passengers from the Taxi park which was situated far away
from the main road, something he argues is inconveniencing to drivers and passengers
who are continuing with their journeys.
What began as an argument descended into a fight between the taxis drivers, prompting police to
respond with teargas to quell the warring factions which had also led to blocking of
traffic flow on Broadway; the main road running through Masaka town.
//Cue
in; “abasajja batujje eri…
Cue
out…..gwetutikira wano.”//
Moses Nanoka, the Masaka City Police Commander said that they could not tolerate the confusion that had been created by people who intended
to reopen illegal taxi parks in the city.
In October last year, the Masaka City Council authorities
and the leaders of Masaka United Taxi Operators and Drivers
Cooperative Society agreed to stop operating from ungazetted taxi parks
and stages and accordingly ordered the operators to occupy the
former Gaso Bus Park along Nalubaale Street in Masaka city.
Nanoka says that city authorities gave police express
instructions to enforce the decision, arguing that there is no way
they could not tolerate people trying to cause confusion in the town.
He says that they are going to continuously deploy in
the area to ensure that Taxi operators comply with the order.
//Cue
in; “ku makya nayise….
Cue
out…tobuuza nze.”//
Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi, the Masaka City Deputy Resident
Commissioner insists that they will not relent on their decision of closing all
illegal parks and stages as part of their efforts to ensure sanity in the town.
