Business in Kitgum town is back to normal following a protest by passengers at Kitgum Bus Park on Wednesday that led to police firing gunshots.
The development came when Bus operators woke up and found the park under lock and key after the Kitgum Central Division officials maintained that no bus would be allowed to exit the park without paying a daily levy.
The Manager of Homeland Bus Company, Albinson Okana, also one of the companies operating from the park, says each bus exiting the park is charged a daily levy of between 30,000 and 60,000 Shillings. Okana says they called Police to intervene after failing to agree with council authorities over payment of the daily levies.
The district Police Commander of Kitgum ASP Moses Oola, intervened, ordering his personnel to forcefully break the padlock and allow the buses to proceed after passengers threatened to act themselves.
The move did not go down well with members of the Kitgum Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (KITODA) and officials from the Central Division who attempted to lynch the DPC for siding with the bus owners.
Oola then ordered the Police to fire in the air rounds of ammunition estimated to have been more than 30 before the buses were allowed to proceed.
According to Okana, four bus companies on Tuesday resolved not to pay the levy following a directive by Tom Butime, the Minister of local government. The affected bus companies are Homeland, Post Bus, HMK, Friendship and Roblin Bus Company.
They ganged up against authorities of Kitgum Central division and the contractor who tendered the park. Okana says they resisted the daily levies after Minister Butime's circular on April 30th nullified the daily dues.
According to Okana, the circular took effect on May 1st and instituted a monthly levy of shillings 80,000 payable to the Ministry of Local Government account.
Godfrey Toolit, the LC3 Chairperson Central Division said the circular was biased and aimed at robbing lower local councils of local revenue.
KITODA remits 13 million Shillings every month to Kitgum Central Division in taxes and they fear the remission will be affected without the daily collections from the buses.
By press time, another meeting convened by Jackson Omona, the Kitgum district chairperson was in progress to convince the bus operators not to shun the park.
When contacted for comment, Irene Akumu, the Assistant Town Clerk Central Division said she was in a meeting with the management of the bus drivers and Kitgum Taxi Operators and Drivers' Association (KITODA).