Lukwago accuses state-sponsored political actors

The Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has accused political players sponsored by the State of frustrating efforts to create an ordinance to govern the transport sector.

This comes after security forces blocked a planned meeting between various boda boda groups and the lord mayor, aimed at drafting a Public Transport Management Ordinance.

On Tuesday morning, security was beefed up at the entrance of City Hall blocking riders from accessing the venue.

Lukwago accuses state-sponsored political actors

The forces also blocked access to the Lord Mayor’s office prior to the meeting.

Lukwago told our reporter Minah Nalule that he had invited stakeholders to that meeting to gather views of Boda Boda riders since they are part of the groups that the ordinance seeks to regulate.

The bill, the Kampala Capital City (Public Transport Management) Ordinance 2022 provides for the regulation of public transport in Kampala, infrastructure, management, and supervision of the public transport sector to deliver public transport services which will result in an effective and integrated approach to the provision of transport services in Kampala.

The ordinance provides that a person operating a motorcycle, motorised tricycle or Boda Boda for hire or reward is required to acquire a license given by a competent Authority (in this case KCCA) as stipulated in the Traffic and Road Safety Regulations.

Lukwago accuses state-sponsored political actors

However, the meeting that was scheduled to take place at the City Hall Tuesday could not proceed as planned after security personnel composed of the police and military officers were deployed at the entrance of the KCCA headquarters blocking riders from accessing the venue. 

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said that the meeting would have attracted many people and yet there were no Ebola SOPs.

“We thought that this would be an avenue for the spread of Ebola. We advise the Lord Mayor and team to get a better place, bigger space and put in place measures and guidelines to prevent the spread of Ebola,” said Onyango.

But the KCCA Speaker, Zahara Luyirika, and other members of the council accuse the Deputy Executive Director Eng. David Luyimbazi for instigating the police’s actions.

Luyirika narrated that on Monday, Luyimbazi wrote a letter to Lukwago to consider another venue other than City Hall citing security concerns.

Lukwago, however, said he is not privy to the letter and that he is yet to get any communication from Luyimbazi about why the meeting was blocked. He described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable.

Lukwago accuses state-sponsored political actors