Masindi leaders split over Shs16.3 billion taxi park redevelopment plan
"Masindi Town is still developing. We should adopt a design that provides room for expansion instead of limiting ourselves now," Musindi said.
Masindi: Leaders in Masindi Municipality have failed to reach a consensus over the proposed structural design for the redevelopment of the Masindi Taxi Park, with disagreements emerging over the project’s size, cost, and feasibility.
The disagreement arose during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at De’Venue Hotel in Masindi Town, where officials from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development presented conceptual designs and a feasibility study for the proposed redevelopment.
Mary Harriet Kaahwa Kugonza, an architect from the ministry of lands, housing and urban development, presented two proposed designs for the modern taxi park.
The first proposal consists of a three-level structure (ground floor to second floor) with 241 commercial rooms, 74 taxi parking slots, and an estimated cost of Shs16.3 billion. The second option proposes 177 commercial rooms at an estimated cost of Shs13.9 billion.
The presentations sparked debate among leaders, with some supporting the larger and more ambitious design while others argued for the less expensive option, citing affordability and timely implementation.
Masindi Municipal Planner Daniel Kisakye defended the larger design, saying the municipality has an acute shortage of commercial rental space.
“Masindi has inadequate business rooms for traders. When we enforced the trade order and removed vendors from the streets, the demand for business space increased, but there were no enough rooms to accommodate them. Many people ended up relocating to villages, causing the municipality to lose revenue,” Kisakye said.
Godfrey Musindi, the Civic Ward Councilor also backed the first proposal, saying the municipality should plan for future growth.
“Masindi Town is still developing. We should adopt a design that provides room for expansion instead of limiting ourselves now,” Musindi said.
However, Denis Kunihira, President of the Masindi Development Forum, urged leaders to prioritize a design that can realistically be completed within available funding.
“Development should be embraced with urgency. If we delay because of an expensive design, this project could be pushed into another financial year. The second design is more practical because it can be completed within two consecutive financial years,” Kunihira said.
Masindi Municipal Engineer John Kasaija advised that government guidance favors simpler structures.
“Cabinet directed that market structures should not exceed one upper level because upper floors are often underutilized. Architects should also design projects that fit within the available budget,” Kasaija noted.
Masindi Municipality Mayor Rogers Amanyire cautioned against pursuing overly ambitious projects at the expense of other development priorities.
“Residents tend to prefer expensive projects, forgetting that the UCMID budget is not only for redeveloping the taxi park. We also have roads and other critical infrastructure that require funding,” Amanyire said.
The meeting ended without a final resolution, with stakeholders expected to continue consultations before selecting the preferred design for the long-awaited redevelopment project.
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