Africa-Press – Uganda. Motorists have raised the red flag over the management of street parking in Mbarara City.
This was after several complaints were raised on unregulated parking dues, where they are being fleeced of their money by those managing the parking.
In 2017, Mbarara City entered an agreement with Woodfix Technical Services Limited to run street parking on their behalf, but since its takeover, several motorists share their bitter experiences of how they have allegedly been cheated.
Mr Wilbrob Mwesigye of Pearl and Nature Safaris, who was transiting to Queen Elizabeth National Park by the time of the interview on Thursday, said he is better off making a stopover in other business centres on Kampala-Mbarara Highway other than on Mbarara streets.
“The street parking in Mbarara City is managed by gangsters. They are violent and usually take advantage of us who are carrying tourists. They charge us exorbitantly because there are no standard fees. We usually heed to their demands because we fear being humiliated before our clients,” he said.
The Mbarara City Traders Association Chairman, Mr Simon Mwijuka Sezi, said businesses in the city are collapsing due to the menace created by street parking.
“Those meant to support businesses in the city centre have relocated to other areas such as the Northern Bypass. Very many hotels and bars have abandoned businesses and shifted to the outskirts of the town because parking fees have become a problem,” he said.
“Every now and then hotel and bar customers complain about their vehicles being clamped. I am rallying 500 drivers and car owners in Mbarara City to come at the office of the town clerk for clear explanation on who should be charging what,” he added.
Petition
Mr Eligio Mukasa, a special hire driver on the High Street, said they were also victims of street parking mess in the city until they were forced to petition the city authorities.
“They wanted to harass, exploit and intimidate us but we engaged city authorities and they left us. Their targets now are new people and vulnerable groups like ladies and the elderly because they know these will not oppose the theatrics they use for extortion. Street parking in Mbarara is managed by goons,” he said.
Ms Eunice Natukunda, a wholesaler on Markansingh Street, said the fees collectors are simply thieves who have turned it into a habit to even move into people’s homes.
“You park at your gate and you hear people calling you that your car is being clamped, it’s too much,” she said.
The Mbarara City Mayor, Mr Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, said they are planning to have the parking fees system digitalised with hope that this will solve the mess.
“We are introducing a digital system very soon. Those issues will be no more in our town, we are correcting the error by bringing a digital system that will help in collection of street parking fees and everything will be put in order,” he said.
Mr Assy Abireebe, the Mbarara City clerk, said in a statement that the street parking will soon be well regulated since the plan to have it digitised is being finalised.
“We believe this will sort the current issues complained about, which the city does not condone. In the meantime, we have directed the tenderer for street parking to desist from alleged practices. We have had issues with street parking but we have just six months with the contractor so after his contract, we will get a new contractor,” he said.
He added that the current street parking charging policy per vehicle is Shs500 for an hour, Shs1,000 per hour for two vehicles and the same extra fee is charged for every hour parked beyond one hour.
Mr Abireebe said a ticket must be paid within 48 hours and that vehicles that default payment after that period are required to pay a fine of Shs30,000, regardless of the period from when it defaulted to when it is clamped.
Mr Nicholas Asiimwe, the proprietor of Woodfix Technical Services, said they are digitalising their services to make it better.
“We are halfway to digitalise our system to reduce such challenges and irregularities in our services. However, it is not about irregularities or that we harass car owners, some want to intentionally default,” he said.
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