Taxi drivers in Kibaale District have defied a directive by the Town Council to relocate from Katerere Roundabout to the gazetted Karuguuza Tax Park, citing poor conditions at the facility.
Last week, Kibaale Town Council councillors passed a resolution ordering the relocation of all taxi operations to Karuguuza Tax Park. The decision was intended to ease traffic congestion at Katerere Roundabout and reduce road accidents associated with passenger loading in the area.
However, taxi operators have resisted the move, arguing that the designated park is not yet suitable for use.
Several drivers said the facility is poorly planned and difficult to access, while others pointed to unsanitary conditions, including an overflowing and poorly maintained toilet.
Omuhereza Aheebwa Kasaija, Secretary of the Kibaale Taxi Drivers Association and manager of Link Bus Kibaale, said the park is currently bushy and still contains wreckage of accident-damaged vehicles, making it unsafe and unfit for operations.
He added that drivers are not ready to relocate until the identified challenges are addressed. “We are urging the Town Council to first engage stakeholders and resolve the issues at the park before enforcing relocation. They should also stop taxi operators from Kagadi District from loading passengers at Katerere Roundabout before we can move,” he said.
Despite the resistance, Kibaale Town Clerk Godfrey Basiima insisted that the relocation will be enforced before the end of April.
He said the council has already engaged the Mid-Western Umbrella for Water and Sanitation to empty the park’s toilets and improve sanitation.
Basiima added that efforts are underway to clear bushes and remove abandoned vehicle wreckage at the site.
“We are going to ensure that all taxi operators are relocated to the gazetted park. Anyone found loading passengers outside the designated area will be arrested,” he said.
