By Eudes Ssekyondwa

Di taxi engine dey idle for roadside as Ali Kabuye dey call passengers, dey hope say dem go quick fill di empty seats so im fit move go city centre.

E look like say na just anoda normal day for di life of di veteran Kampala taxi driver – until im begin talk about di wahala wey dey cover im future.

Afta fifteen years wey im don dey drive di 14-seater taxi wey loan take finance, wey im still dey pay, Kabuye dey fear say im days as driver for Ugandan capital fit dey count.

Di main reason for im fear na di new transport policy wey Uganda government announce, wey talk say dem no go allow private people dey own public transport again, but instead make dem join organised associations or Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs).

Di government announce di policy for May, and e go affect all di 14-seater passenger taxis and buses. Di government talk say di plan na to make di transport system beta and more organised.

But Kabuye and oda taxi drivers no believe say di system go work without e go spoil dia business.

"We get our own cooperative savings system, and loan guarantors wey dey specific for dis business," Kabuye tok give TRT Afrika. "Dis plan wey dem dey talk make we join societies and buy new cars na way to comot us for business. New cars wey loan go buy go turn us to dia workers."

Di move wey government dey try use to arrange public transport, especially for Kampala and oda towns, na because of di data wey show say about 14 people dey die every day for road accidents.

Kabuye say e no new to dis kain talk. "Dem don try dis kind tin before, even bring special buses and electric vehicles, to comot us for business," im tok.

Terminal under threat

Di noise of engines for Kampala busy Busega terminal dey hide di fear wey dey grow for di sector since di government announce di policy change.

"Di biggest wahala na favouritism," transport operator Badru Ssentamu tok as im dey watch im staff dey direct passengers to dia seats. "You go see say if person wey get influence enter dis business, dem go wan force everybody make dem join dia company. Dis na di competitive wahala we dey face."

Di change go affect about 400,000 vehicle owners for Kampala as di new law go change di way people dey own passenger vehicles.

For some operators, di new policy no too different from wetin dem dey already do.

"I don dey run my transport business under association for long time. Even though di journey no easy, you go agree say e dey convenient. Many passengers dey appreciate am," Peter Kagwa, chairman of Fly Express Entebbe-Kampala tok.

Kagwa dey lead group wey get 250 vehicles under Entebbe Expressway Company. "Di government bring di idea to beta di transport system. Dem invite everybody and train di people wey go, but some no take am serious. Me I take am serious, and e don change my business," im tok give TRT Afrika.

Structured operations

Di association get strict rules to attract customers for di competitive market.

Drivers must do special training and show dia ID cards when dem dey work. Uniformed assistants dey help passengers complete safety checks before dem enter.

Dis organised way dey make passengers enjoy better. "Dis taxis dey good because dem no dey overload. Taxis wey no dey regulated dey carry passengers pass dia capacity, and e fit cause accident," passenger Shamim Nalwadda tok as she dey wait to enter vehicle.

Di Ugandan government dey continue to do inspection to make sure say people dey follow di rules, including digital vehicle numbers and code of conduct for drivers.

For people wey don dey used to private ownership, e go take time to adjust to dis new system.

Oda people dey wait to see if di government go fit implement dis policy well dis time. Na di big question wey dey hang for Uganda transport sector as dem dey prepare for di biggest change in decades.