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Jinja to create two taxi parks to decongest city
Jinja taxi park that the City officials propose to relocate outside the central business area. PHOTO | TAUSI NAKATO
What you need to know:
- The chairperson of Jinja Taxi Park Operators Association (JITOA), Mr Khalid Muyingo, said relocating the taxi park from the central business area is a good proposal, but warned that council lacks free land.
Authorities in Jinja have announced plans to create two taxi parks to reduce congestion in the City.
The City Senior Physical Planner, Mr Charles Nampendho, says their plan entails creating a taxi park at Mailo Mbili where taxis coming from Iganga highway will park, while those coming from the Kampala-Jinja highway will be stationed at Amber Court roundabout.
“Those who want to enter the City will also be allowed; however, they will not have a stoppage in the City, but will instead pass through [it],’’ Mr Nampendho said in an interview at the weekend.
According to Mr Nampendho, the current taxi park located within the City Centre will be turned into a parking space for customers who will be shopping from Jinja Central Market.
“We have tried our best to chase vendors from the City streets to create parking space for those who are shopping from the market, but the traffic jam still exists. So we have a proposal of turning the Jinja taxi park into a parking yard for Jinja Central Market customers,’’ he said, adding that they are also to construct 200 lock-ups around the taxi park from which about 500 people will operate.
The chairperson of Jinja Taxi Park Operators Association (JITOA), Mr Khalid Muyingo, said relocating the taxi park from the central business area is a good proposal, but warned that council lacks free land.
“Most of the would-be good places were sold off by the council, including Mailo Mbili, where a fuel station was established. At Amber Court, too, there is a fuel station. As per now, the council lacks free land, unless it compensates those people,’’ he said.
Mr Muyingo instead urged the council to allow people who buy from Jinja Central Market to park on the streets, so that it continues getting street parking fees from them.
The chairperson Jinja Central Market, Mr Henry Mugimba, said shifting the taxi park to another area will affect the traders in terms of getting customers.
“People who shop from the market are mostly passengers from different locations like Kamuli, Mayuge, Iganga and Buyende districts, and do so without incurring any transport costs; therefore, shifting the taxi park will mean taking away our customers and we don’t support it,” he said.
The chairperson Jinja Boda Boda Riders Association, Mr Eria Musobya, said they will likely to incur losses if the taxi park is relocated near the highway.
“It will make it easier for passengers to access taxis to their destinations and subsequently reduce our level of income,” he said.
In July 2020, Jinja attained city status and as part of the prerequisites to operate as such, it expanded, annexing former Jinja Municipality, Bugembe Town Council, Mafubira, and Budondo sub counties.
