KAMPALA
In a bid to enhance a positive change,a total of 85 taxi drivers and leaders from Kampala Metropolitan Area were urged to revolutionize their operations.
The call was made by Arthur Nuwagaba the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps (NSPC) Principal officer in charge of Mobilisation during a transformative training at Bat Valley Primary School in Kampala on Friday.
” Today,most people have questions over your method of work to the extent that we are afraid of boarding early morning and late evening taxis because you have set a bad precedent but you’re not supposed to destroy your job like this,” said Nuwagaba
He added” let us uphold our national values by ending harboring of criminals, collaborate with authorities,enhance patriotism and promote social equity.”
He stated that there is a huge need for taxi operators to refrain from using abusive language and promote respectful communications if they are to improve passenger experience as well as enhancing community trust.
Nuwagaba cited other vices like theft,failure to obey road traffic rules, hygiene because such acts are spoiling their job.
Godfrey Mugyenyi the commercial officer of Nakawa Division called upon the taxi operators to embrace and priotise government wealth creation programs inorder for them to enhance societal wellbeing.
He said that programmes like PDM, Emyooga UWEP YLP among others will help them to steer their businesses forward.
” Allow me to encourage you that these funds exist and are available at your respective Divisions as well as different banks across the country,”
” For example if you’re driving a taxi,you can use the money to boost your side business because of its little interest.When this money is paid back at the end of one year,no interest rate will be added however only 5% interest rate will be met once one decides to pay back the money after a period of three years.” Said Mugyenyi.
The government launched PDM in 2022, with the aim of increasing household incomes and improve quality of the life of Ugandans with a specific focus on the total economic transformation of the households through getting Ugandans out of the subsistence economy into the money economy within five years.
Under this program,nearly 10600 parishes across the country got seed money of sh100m per parish.
Rashid Ssekindi,the Chairperson of the Federation of Uganda Taxi Operators (UTOF) requested NSPC to organize for them a massive training at either Kyankwanzi or Kaweweta so that more numbers can benefit.
” We want to thank the Commissioner NSPC madam Hellen Seku and her team for organizing such a wonderful training specifically for us, however we still need more of it because it is so impactful in our day to day activities,finances, mindset, environment,families as well as in communities where we live,”
” We are going to spread this information to our fellow drivers but also we want to appeal to the Secretariat to organize for us a bigger training that will benefit a huge number of drivers ,” noted Ssekindi.
He lauded President Museveni for establishing the Secretariat as well as appointing a young, vibrant and energetic Commissioner who has tirelessly worked to extend the gospel of patriotism to the local population.
The group was also empowered through financial literacy, societal systems as well as patriotism and ideology training.
In a strategic shift, NSPC broadened it’s mandate to include the informal sector beyond the initial mandate of students and youth which will create a lasting impact.
