Operators of public transport services in the country especially taxi drivers have been urged to stop using abusive language, taking of drugs and general bad behavior because it portrays them in the negative.
The caution was last Friday made by Plan International project coordinator ‘’ safer cities’’ program Lydia Tebekanya during the closing ceremony for a one week long training workshop for taxi drivers, conductors, stage chairpersons and guides among others under the umbrella body of Kampala Operational Taxi stages Association [KOTSA] which her organization organized to empower them on gender related issues in relation to religion, Culture and discipline which was held at Kolping Hotel Bwaise in Kawempe division .
The over 150 participants were urged to desist from acts that may tarnish their image but ensure that they come out to protect their job by respecting the rules of their profession.
‘’As you graduate today from this week long training program on safety standards and gender related issues at your workplace, ensure that you take the message to your members so that they can improve on their behavior by learning to respect their clients at all times as the only way of commanding respect from the public’’ noted Tebekanya.
‘’We managed to bring this workshop to you because your top level managers requested us to help bring about experts to train you in areas of human rights, safety standards while on the job and loving your job at all times and we strongly believe you will take back the message’’ she observed.
The participants through Kirabira Peter a top leader within the Old taxi park commended Plan for the timely workshop saying many of their members are still caught up in incidents of bad behavior that has greatly tarnished their professional image however he promised to take back the message and urge the rest to style up while there are on duty.
‘’We pledge to take back this messages of positive change to our colleague taxi drivers and urge them to behave well at all times and also ensure that they respect and encourage their female colleagues to work without sexually harassing them’’ said Kirabira adding that KOTSA was doing its best by trying to clean up their industry through sensitizing their members to reform and respect the rules of the game.