Asan Kasingye
Former Assistant Inspector General of Police Asan Kasingye has sounded the alarm over what he describes as entrenched disorder and abuse in Mbarara’s public transport sector, urging Local Government Minister Balaam Ateenyi to take immediate action.
In a detailed statement, Kasingye painted a grim picture of a system where passengers are routinely exploited amid fierce and unregulated competition among bus operators and informal taxi services.
He alleged that commuters using small vehicles—commonly referred to as “Wish” and “Fielder” cars—are subjected to physical assault by brokers, with cases of passengers being flogged in broad daylight. Luggage, he said, is mishandled, while vehicles are dangerously overcrowded.
“The competition has become so toxic that it is the travelers who suffer most,” Kasingye noted.
The former police chief further accused some bus operators of orchestrating fraudulent schemes targeting unsuspecting passengers.
According to him, certain operators lure commuters with false promises of imminent departure, collect fares, issue fake receipts, and then abandon passengers for hours.
Those who attempt to demand accountability, he claimed, are often met with violence.
Kasingye cited a disturbing incident involving a woman who was allegedly assaulted by transport operators and later admitted to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.
He said he intervened after the victim was controversially charged with attempted murder against her attackers instead of receiving justice.
The former AIGP also took aim at the Mbarara City Council, accusing it of failing in its core mandate to regulate urban transport and maintain order.
He pointed to widespread corruption in parking operations and lax enforcement, arguing that authorities have remained passive despite being aware of the crisis.
“Officials just look on even when they know the problem,” he said.
Beyond passenger transport, Kasingye highlighted systemic exploitation within the city’s revenue collection framework.
He alleged that subcontractors tasked with collecting fees from traders are forced to pay both official charges and unofficial fees to middlemen who claim influence over tender awards.
This, he said, leaves contractors operating on thin margins, ultimately transferring pressure onto traders and worsening the business environment.
Describing the situation as unacceptable, Kasingye called for urgent reforms to restore order, protect passengers, and address corruption within the system.