Staff
On Friday, Betty Amongi the Minister for Kampala, together with the Deputy KCCA Executive Director, David Luyimbazi visited the Old Tax Park to assess the contract performance and progress of the construction works which are now at 70% completion.
According to Amongi , the old taxi park will be 100% complete by 4th March and ready for utilization as it had been before.
The park was closed in May last year and according to KCCA then, it was only to take three months for the renovation but due to some circumstances like heavy rains, led to the delay though by March it will be done.
Speaking on Friday, the Kampala Minister said government takes note of the concerns raised by the taxi operators, users of the old taxi park and the general public over the time taken to complete these renovations but noted all this is intended to ensure works are done efficiently.
“We recognise the strategic importance of this park, given its location, as well as the livelihoods it supports and we are committed to ensure its swift but quality completion in order to restore trade order in the capital city,” Amongi said.
“We appeal to the taxi operators, the business community and the general public to keep calm as we complete renovation of this strategic workspace in the next two weeks and allow for finalising installation of an automated gate system and the construction of a waterborne public toilet.”
According to Eng. Justus Akankwasa, the acting Director in charge of Engineering at KCCA the drainage system has been improved to ensure the renovated taxi park doesn’t flood when it rains unlike in the past.
“I am very sure when it rains you will no longer see floods and sewerage as it was in the past. All that will be a story of the past,” Akankwasa said.
And the taxi drivers were very happy to see Minister Amongi come around because they were scared that the park will not be in their hands anymore.
