The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba has rallied the people of Mityana to embrace Parish Development Model (PDM), a program by government aimed at alleviating poverty.
Nabakooba who was in Mityana on Sunday on invitation by taxi operators in the district said the government is committed to bridge the gap between the rich and poor through the PDM.
“In our past term, we had emyooga and you, the taxi operators also had a share. We are going to link emyooga to the Parish Development Model. We want to help our people, the 39 per cent the president keeps talking of that hardly earn anything in their pockets,” she said.
The minister explained that their commitment as government is to see that Ugandans are helped out of poverty.
She encouraged those with issues in Emyooga to write to her so that she can talk to the line Minister, Haruna Kasolo for help in the right direction.
Gerald Mucuro, the Chairman, Mityana taxi park told the minister that the heavy taxes being imposed on them are prompting a number of them to get out of the business yet they have families to look after.
He explained that they are manhandled by the people enforcing these taxes that are not only unfair but also illegal since they have never been passed by parliament.
The different taxi operators in the meeting operators told the minister that the taxi is illegal and they even went to court to dispute it.
“The enforcers use KCCA, military police to manhandle people to pay this tax. A number of our friends have been arrested over this illegal taxi, we request for your intervention honourable minister,” Benard Kalanzi, a taxi operator.
They also decried the rising fuel prices that have in turn affected the prices of different commodities. This, they said, prompts traffic officers to penalise them for exorbitant fees.
In her response, Nabakooba said taxi operators have for some time been ardent supporters of the NRM and they cannot leave them behind in government’s efforts of development.
She tasked the chairman and the executive to write a petition with all their issues to the Prime Minister.
“When I take it to her, she will call the concerned parties and of course you the petitioners to iron out this. I am also going to speak to the IGP, the DPC of Mityana and the army commander to see this issue resolved. We need a harmonious way of handling things, not just manhandling people,” she said.
She added: “Government is doing its best on the high commodity prices. The issue, however, is not only affecting Uganda but even other countries. I want to handle your issues jointly with the Prime minister because she can ably help you out. We shall also write to the president to create some time and meet with you and some other organised groups of people doing development work in Mityana.”
Hajj Ziza Kibirige, on behalf of the NRM cadres in the district expressed gratitude to the minister for always responding to their call whenever they called out for her even when she is not the area representative.
He explained that this is the act of a typical leader and they cannot take that for granted.
“The minister has furnished Mityana Hospital and most other health facilities with the necessary equipment such as maternity beds and mattresses. If we get a chance to repeat the election, let us look at Nabakooba because she has been there for us as the district.”
Before the taxi operators’ meeting, the minister dropped by Mizigo village to reassure Mr Peter Kafuuma, Kyeyune, a bicycle mechanic that no one will evict him from his land.
Mr Kyeyune had already received a court order giving him not only a notice to vacate the land he has been occupying all his life but also pay compensation to the administrator of the land.
“I am sending the RDC, give him all the documents of this land. I will now be able to follow this up with the Mityana land office. We shall then call both parties. No one is going to evict you. An administrator cannot evict you. The law protecting bibanja owners is in place,” she said.
Mr Kyeyune pins Ms Leticia Nabisere, an administrator of her father’s property, for threatening to throw him off the land that was initially two acres but has been taken over.