Kampala Capital City Minister, Beti Kamya has warned that street vendors hoping to take advantage of the festive season and flood the streets will be arrested.
Kamya issued this warning in a statement on Thursday adding that religious leaders who pollute the city with noise during this festive season will not be spared.
Below is her full statement
Good morning residents of Kampala and every person working in or visiting Kampala City.
The festive season is here with us and as a Ministry which oversees the Capital City and the Metropolitan Area, we do hereby address you on matters of concern which we have raised before but which need emphasis during this period. I am joined by the Resident City Commissioner of Kampala, Commander Kampala Metropolitan Police and the Ag. Deputy Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority.
Street Vending
The City gets awash during this period with street vendors and buyers as people try to make last minute sales and purchases. This comes with all forms of challenges, including but not limited to, traffic jams, pickpocketing and accidents. We would like to reiterate our advice and directive that street vending is illegal and that persons who engage in this shall be arrested, their wares impounded and subjected to prosecution.
I do hereby direct Kampala Capital City Authority and the Uganda Police Force (Kampala Metropolitan Police) to clamp down on this illegal activity and bring the offenders to book.
Noise Pollution
There shall be a lot of religious activities and merry-making going on during this period. We would like to implore all the religious leaders that even as they lead the flock through prayers, they should be mindful of the need to minimize the noise levels in the communities that their religious institutions are located.
For the outdoor prayers and overnight prayers, we would like to advise all the organizers to follow the duly laid out protocols of seeking permission from NEMA, KCCA (or relevant local government) and the Uganda Police Force and to comply with the conditions laid out in their directives or permits.
For the case of entertainment centres like bars, hotels and other hospitality centres, we would like to advise the owners that any form of noise pollution that shall be in contravention of the legal limits shall not be tolerated. The KCCA and National Environment Management Authority are advised to enforce the law effectively in case of breach.
Traffic Jam
The traffic jam in the city is caused by a number of factors like Illegal parking and illegal stages. This will not be accepted and we do implore all taxi operators to utilise the existing taxi parks and gazetted stages.
The Traffic and Road Safety Act should be followed to create orderliness on roads and I urge the motorists to be disciplined while using these roads in order to reduce accidents and traffic jam. Motorists should be respectful to other road users and comply with lawful instructions from Traffic Officers.
Security
The Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander has assured me of intensified foot and motorised patrols to deter burglaries, mugging, drug abuse, thefts and other crimes associated with festive season.
For any fire outbreak, I urge the public to be vigilant and ensure that electrical installation in houses or business premises is professionally done.
Organizers of functions at which fireworks shall be ignited should pay attention to the Uganda Police Force which will shortly give detailed guidance on the use of fireworks and this should be duly followed.
Solid waste Management
During the festive seasons, there is usually an increased amount of rubbish that is generated by the public. KCCA has engaged the garbage collectors responsible for the various areas in the city to ensure that their clients are adequately serviced. The public is advised to do the following:
- Be a conscious Consumer– we request the public to as much as possible use recyclable packaging. This can be in form of sisal woven baskets locally known as kikapu or paper boxes.
- Segregate your Waste – there is a lot of leftover food during the festive seasons. The public is advised to give the leftover food to the less fortunate in the community. We also encourage the public to segregate their waste and cover organic waste (leftover food) to prevent animals scavenging.
- Clean up after use – We urge the public to clean-up after use of public grounds. People who are in charge of large gatherings like concerts, overnight prayers, sports events etc., should not only clean up the venues but also the areas immediately surrounding the venues.
- Watch where you put your waste– Domestic waste should be put in designated bins both in the home and along the streets. Car drivers are discouraged from throwing waste into the streets.
- Report illegal Dumping – The public is advised to report all those illegally dumping waste during the festive seasons. This can be done through the following:
- LC1 Chairpersons, online; info@kcca.go.ug,
- Twitter ; @KCCAUG;
- Telephone: 0204 66 00 00; Toll free line: 0800 99 00 00; SMS Code: 7010
Medical Services
The major causes of traumatic injuries during the festive season include:
- Slips and Falls
- Sharp Object Injuries
- Car accidents
- Assault
- Burns
The public is urged to take caution as to where they celebrate their festive holidays. Do watch out for especially children when on raised grounds or buildings. Keep away sharp objects from children and store them in safe places.
During preparation of meals, do not let the charcoal stoves unattended.
Persons suffering from chronic conditions like Hypertension, diabetes should ensure that they have their fill of medicines for the festive season. This is especially important for those planning to travel upcountry.
Kampala Capital City Authority is working with Hospitals and health facilities in the city to ensure that the emergency departments are well prepared to receive all emergencies.
There is an active outbreak of Ebola Virus disease in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The districts bordering the DRC and Kampala have been categorised as high risk. The public is urged to be vigilant especially those traveling to the border areas of the DRC.
KCCA with Ministry of Health will continue doing active search plus sensitising in communities and health facilities. There has been no confirmed case of Ebola reported in Uganda.
On behalf of my Ministry and on behalf of Kampala Capital City Authority, I do wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Beti Kamya Turwomwe
Minister for Kampala Capital City & Metropolitan Affairs
