Kisoro drivers in demonstration
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I What started small as a light tax-related argument spiraled into a complete shutdown of operations at Kisoro Municipal Council offices after members of the Kisoro Transporters Association blocked the main gate in protest over a disputed transport revenue collection contract.
The protest, which brought council business to a standstill, was sparked by the municipality’s decision to award the lucrative loading and offloading tender at Kisoro Central Park to an individual whom transporters described as an outsider. The association accused municipal authorities of bypassing them despite their long-standing role in managing transport tax collection.
According to the transporters, the association had successfully collected transport-related revenue for the municipality since 2017 and expected to continue handling the exercise. However, tensions flared when the council awarded the contract to a person they claimed neither belonged to their association nor participated in the formal bidding process.
The drivers argued that the decision lacked transparency and ignored the association’s proven track record in revenue collection. They maintained that the successful bidder was unknown to them and had no visible involvement in the local transport business.
“We will not pay taxes to a person we don’t know. He has no truck and is not one of us,” some of the protesting drivers said as they demanded that the municipality reverse its decision.
Frustrated by what they described as an unfair contract award, members of the Kisoro Transporters Association parked their trucks across the entrance to the municipal headquarters, effectively blocking access to the offices.
The action immediately disrupted normal operations, preventing council staff from accessing their workplaces and forcing members of the public seeking municipal services to wait outside. Administrative work ground to a halt as officials scrambled to contain the growing dispute.
Association chairperson Ntamuheza Sipiriyano defended the protest, saying there was no justification for sidelining a group that had consistently delivered on its responsibility to collect transport revenue for the municipality.
He argued that the association had demonstrated competence and accountability over the years and questioned why the council had entrusted the work to someone who was unfamiliar to the transport fraternity in Kisoro.
As tensions mounted, Town Clerk Richard Mugisha convened a meeting with leaders of the transporters’ association to find a solution to the impasse. The discussions focused on the concerns surrounding the disputed contract and the need to restore normal operations at the municipal offices.
The mediation yielded a breakthrough after the municipal council agreed to allow the Kisoro Transporters Association to continue collecting the transport revenue. The decision effectively restored the association’s previous role and addressed the grievances that had triggered the blockade.
Following the agreement, the truck drivers removed their vehicles from the municipal entrance, allowing council employees to resume work and members of the public to once again access services.
Mugisha commended the transporters for expressing their dissatisfaction peacefully and for choosing dialogue over violence. He noted that constructive engagement had enabled both sides to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
Sipiriyano welcomed the outcome, describing it as a victory for fairness and consultation. He thanked members of the association for remaining united throughout the protest and for maintaining discipline during the standoff.
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