Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has Thursday called on the new Minister for Kampala Beti Namisango Kamya “show some respect to the people of Kampala, and the law.”
While speaking in light of yesterday’s directive by the minister, banishing all vendors from the city streets, Lukwago warned that such decisions would have devastating effects especially on the political wing of the city leadership.
On Wednesday, Minister Kamya directed KCCA’s enforcement team to “forcefully” take all venders off the streets, as a way of bringing back sanity therein.
“Her directive was not thought through; she just went to the Media Center and gave an order that she didn’t even consult any one about. Kamya has never even attended any council meeting, otherwise if she did she would know that we are looking for a more sustainable solution,” charged Lukwago while addressing press at City Hall.
Lord Mayor added that street vending is lawfully permitted once one acquires a license, as per the current new law that regulates vendors in Uganda. They are citizens of Uganda and are protected by the law.
“As a council we ask that these acts of evicting people from the streets be put on hold. If they are not then they will be abusing the rights of the people since the evictions are carried out forcefully and in some cases brutally leading to people loss in their property and these people are usually the poor. We have to take care of our poor people too not only the rich like the Kampala City Traders Association KACITA”
He added, “l advise the Minister to put her house in order before they confuse more people. KACITA is being used to fight political wars by those who want to sabotage our management, for there is always a reason behind everything. They must stand warned”.