Hoima drivers elect new leaders to manage the park
HOIMA – Drivers, conductors and guides operating in Hoima Taxi and Bus Park in Hoima East division, Hoima City have elected new leaders to manage their affairs in the park after two years of waiting.
Hamfrey Mugisa was elected as the Chairman outcompeting two other contenders in the race.
According to the election results declared by Solomon Kahuma, the Senior Assistant Town Clerk for Hoima East division; who was also the Returning Officer of the elections, Mugisa pulled 190 votes beating his rivals Rashid Tusiime and Kenneth Kwegondeza who got 92 votes and 24 votes respectively.
Julius Mbabazi was elected as Vice Chairperson after garnering 169 votes while his rival Charles Asiimwe Nyakatura got 140 votes. Frank Gugwa was elected as General Secretary after beating Paul Mutegeki with 183 votes to 126 votes.
Meanwhile Charles Irumba and Ivan Mwesige were lucky after they emerged unopposed for the position of Treasurer and Mobilizer respectively.
Kahuma, the Returning Officer explained that the exercise was free, fair and peaceful adding that 646 drivers, conductors and guides were registered for the election. Those who did not register were not allowed to vote.
The elections that were conducted at Hoima Kolping Hotel were by secret ballot.
He explained that the term of the old management of the park expired in 2019 and the drivers were supposed to vote in 2020 but the election was interrupted by the Covid-19 lockdown. He added that the new leadership will serve for three years.
Sources at the park revealed that James Byaruhanga who has been the park Chairperson for the last six years, did not participate in the election because he was recently charged with assault and other election violence by the Hoima Grade one Magistrate.
While addressing the drivers after the election, the Hoima City Resident City Commissioner, Samuel Kisembo Ayesiga commended the drivers for electing their leaders and called on the new leaders to mobilize all the automobile operators in the park to get organized and form a Saving and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO) to push for their development.
He revealed that the former park management had failed to manage the park affairs adding that with the new regime, they expect better service delivery in the park. He noted that drivers in the area have missed on several government programs due to lack of unity and poor management.
Speaking after the election, Mugisa commended the drivers and others for their trust and promised to work with all people operating in the park to ensure security, discipline and better sanitation at the park.
He explained that the issue of indiscipline, insecurity and poor sanitation in the park is still a big challenge which needs to be addressed.
He also promised to work with the city leaders to get a way of addressing the challenge of drivers parking their taxis outside the park which sometimes causes congestion in the town.
“We are going to have regulations guiding all the operations in our park so as to restore sanity in the area,” he said.
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