Tipper drivers protest relocation to gazetted taxi park

Kwania, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Tipper drivers in Aduku town council in Kwania district are protesting their proposed relocation to the newly gazetted Taxi / Bus Park. It comes a few days after the town council authorities resolved to relocate tipper drivers to the newly gazetted Taxi / Bus Park effective October 21st, 2020 to enhance local revenue collection.

The meeting resolved to fine any driver who will defy the directive Shillings 100,000. However, a group of tipper drivers under Aduku Transporters and Tipper Driver’s, says there is no business in the taxi park.   

They also argue that they can’t mix with buses and Taxis due to the nature of their operations. Geoffrey Odic, the Vice-Chairperson Tipper Driver’s Association, says the new Taxi Park is unable to accommodate many vehicles as part of the space is occupied by trailers.   He asks the town council to allocate them independent space where they can operate from. 

George Oludi, another tipper driver says relocating them to the new Taxi Park will not only affect their business but will also expose them to accidents.  

“I have never seen any town putting Tipper drivers together with Taxi and bus operators. We shall not go as demanded by the town authorities, if they want to keep us in business then we should be placed in a separate area,’’ Oludi said. 

Keny James Obaya, the Town Clerk Aduku Town Council, says the move to reallocate Tipper drivers is meant to reduce road accidents and boost local revenue collection. 

Obaya notes that due to the many stopovers along major highways, their revenue collection has dwindled over the last ten years since the Town Council became operational. 

The Town Council authorities expect to collect Shillings 18 million monthly if all vehicles operate from the taxi park, a move they say will greatly improve service delivery.

Peter Otim, the leader of government business in Aduku Town Council, says the relocation of tipper divers to the gazetted bus park will greatly improve service delivery in the urban center.   Eng Audio:

Harriet Ogam, the Northern Uganda Station Engineer Uganda National Road Authority-UNRA, says parking and offloading passengers along the Main Street especially on the pedestrian lane is risky.

“Those Tipper drivers are illegally operating on our Apac-Lira Highway, we shall write to the Town Council authorities to get an alternative place to accommodate all these road side stages “, she said in a telephone interview.

Rolex Oyari, the Aduku Town Council LCIII Chairperson urges the tipper drives to vacate their respective stages and move to the temporary gazetted park near Sujjicare Medical Center on Kwania road. He says whoever will not comply shall face the law.

Currently, transporters operate at Aduku Mayor’s garden, UCC Aduku-Apire road and near Yellow Pages-along Apac-Lira Highway  

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