By Sadique Bamwita
Kampala
The Executive Director Kampala Capital City Authority ( KCCA), Hajat Sharifah Buzeki and Kampala Lord Mayor, Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo, have addressed leaders of Kampala Business community on issues concerning Trade License, double waste collection charges , Market administration and the proposed Sunday market operations.
During the engagement, Hajat Buzeki successfully responded to issues raised by leaders of the business community from their seven traders’ associations. Among the traders associations who were present include, National Entrepreneur and Traders Association (NETA), Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), Federation of Uganda Traders Association (FUTA), Kampala Arcades Traders Association, Uganda National Traders Alliance, United Arcaders Entrepreneur Association and Kampala Traders’ Advocacy Forum.
The stakeholders engagement meeting held on Tuesday at Kitante primary school, was in response to a follow-up meeting in which afande Edith Nakalema invited KCCA technical officials to answer questions on issues affecting traders and also find solutions to them.
The president of National Entrepreneur and Traders Association (NETA), Dr. Thaddeus Musoke Nagenda alias Sabayiribi, told KCCA Executive Director that most hawkers who affected by the Trade order are living a miserable life and asked her to allow them operate an open market every Sunday , something she didn’t agree with for purposes of maintaining sanity and order in Kampala City.
Dr. Musoke also raised other issues including; mistreatment by their landlords, exorbitant garbage collection fee, severe floods during rain season plus some roads near arcades that require repair. In response Hajat Buzeki pledged to fix theses issues , restoring huge hope among the business community.
The president of United Arcaders Entrepreneur Association, Edward Ntale, asked KCCA Executive Director to approve building plans which meet the required standards . He also raised the issue of compensation to traders who were affected by floods that resulted into loss of their goods.
Other issues raised by Edward Ntale, include; taxis that park Infront of their their arcades yet there is a taxi park, temporary structures squeezed within arcades, delayed road repair and construction of drainage channels and the proposed redevelopment of City square Grounds,something he says traders strongly object.
Ntale also expressed dismay on the way KCCA enforcement team handle their fellow traders, suggesting that instead of parading them before City Hall court, the authority should institute a committee to deal with culpable traders by reprimanding them.
He appreciated Hajat Sharifah Buzeki for the ongoing construction of a drainage channel at Ben Kiwanuka street , which he says has greatly minimised flooding within arcades.
The president of the Federation of Uganda Traders Association, John Kabanda, informed KCCA Executive Director that their landlords don’t observe Landlord and Tenancy Act and take advantage of tenants ignorance to exploit them. He cited the issue of electricity bills whereby landlords charge each tenant Shs.2 million per month ,without giving them a chance for each to own a personal Yaka meter.
Kabanda asked KCCA ED to release traders who were arrested for violating the Trade Order despite giving them ample time to vacate Kampala streets and occupy the the available workspaces in government markets.
The president of Kampala Arcades Traders Association, Godfrey Katongole, asked management of Kampala Capital City Authority to reign in the issue of exorbitant charges by Multiplex company on top of ordering their landlords to put up elevators in all arcades and free toilet facilities for tenants who operate within arcades.
KCCA Responds to Traders Issues
On the issue of affected street vendors , KCCA ED Hajat Buzeki told traders that the authority has over 550 workspaces in the government markets of Usafi, Wandegeya , Nakawa and Luzira. On this note , she appealed to market vendors to occupy these available workspaces.
Regarding the flood victims, Hajat Buzeki told traders that the office of the prime Minister is handling their compensation and very soon the victims will be cleared .
Concerning Development Control permit, the Deputy Executive Director Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Benon Moses Kigenyi, assured landlords that it can processed with 30 days adding that once this is done, one can proceed with the construction works . He noted that incase of a banglow one pays Shs.100,000 while for a commercial building Shs.150,000.
On the Issue of redevelopment City square Grounds by the private developer, Lord Mayor Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo said the authority is ready to protect it ,noting that the president was very clear in his letter when he directed the Minister for Kampala to study the proposal by businessman Hajj Hassan Bulwadda to construct a modern eco-friendly real estate at the current City square Grounds and then engage KCCA and thereafter get back to him. He emphasized that based on the president’s letter he didn’t give it away to the private developer.
The Director Engineering and Technical services , Eng. Justus Akankwasa, informed traders that the issue of road repair is being worked on and that the contractors have been tasked to expedite the works, which he says must done during night hours to avoid interfering with daily businesses and traffic.
Eng. Akankwasa also told traders that the authority intends to pass a Transport Ordinance to deal with errant taxi drivers who have made it to load and offload Infront of arcades.
On the issue of elevators to easy movement of people with disabilities, Eng. Akankwasa told traders that all buildings are required to have elevators and ordered landlords whose arcades have no elevators to fix them with immediate effect.
On the issue of garbage fee , the Director Public Health and Environment, Dr.Sarah Zalwango, urged garbage collectors to charge traders a fee prescribed by KCCA which is below Shs. 5,000 .
Regarding issuance of Trade License, the Director Revenue collection at KCCA, informed traders that the process is digital and one can do it instantly using his or her digital account.
On harassment of traders by enforcement officers, the manager Legal Advisory services, Lony Akena said no enforcement officer is supposed beat up any persons.
