Over 35 taxi drivers arrested from the areas of the Post office, Total Petrol Station along Mbarara Masaka Road, Buremba Road, and Independence Road, among others have been charged and remanded to Nyabuhikye government prison in Ibanda District for defying traffic guidelines.
They were on Thursday charged for operating outside the gazetted bus and taxi parks contrary to provisions of the Traffic and Road Safety Act.
The operations to arrest these drivers followed a security committee resolution to stop taxis and buses from loading passengers outside the gazetted areas of operation. Those arrested appeared before Mbarara Municipal Court Magistrate Cleopan Muhanguzi Copan on Thursday and prosecutor Andrew Abaine Taremwa told the court that on October 28, 2021, the accused persons were found operating in total disregard of the law.
The Magistrate noted that the same group of people has appeared in his Court on the same charge before and were given lesser punishments, but was quick to add that because the city needs to be a safe place with a conducive working environment, he opted for custodial punishment as a signal to others with the intent to act outside the law. He remanded the accused to prison until November 24 2021.
Joshua Twikirize one of those arrested from the global fuel station along the Mbarara- Masaka highway pleaded guilty to the charge and asked the court for a lesser punishment. His plea was also backed by the State Prosecutor who told the court that the accused deserved lenience because he is a first-time offender and had not wasted court time. Muhanguzi however remanded him until November 1, 2021, for his sentencing.
According to James Mwesigye the Mbarara Resident City Commissioner, he directed that the enforcement of the city and police arrest them as a precaution to avoid an enemy.
The move comes at a time when the country is dealing with threats to its security following two separate incidents where suspected bombs exploded and claimed two lives.