By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has asked government and the police to come up with comprehensive reports on the rampant fire outbreaks across the country.
According to the FDC party deputy spokesperson, John Kikonyogo fire outbreaks have stopped in areas where they have been reported after new buildings were set up. He alleges a likelihood that people who want to put up buildings in the fire affected area are responsible for the outbreaks.
“We’re curious as the party that whenever there are serious fires in an area buildings spring up and the police doesn’t give us reports on these fires,” Kikonyogo said
He was speaking to journalists at their party headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Monday (February 13) when he demanded that the government and police should own up to its responsibility and investigate the causes of continuous fire outbreaks in the country.
The remarks followed reports of fire outbreak inKakajjo zone, areas of Kisenyi Kampala near pastor David Kiganda church that destroyed over 50 milling machines, maize stores and chicken feed stores among others on Monday morning.
The fire outbreak whose cause remains a mystery started at around 4am. It is alleged that it was started by an electric short circuit while some traders attribute the cause to poor servicing of milling machines likely to ignite fire.
This is a second incident in the same area in a period of less than one month following the one which occured on January 28 that claimed the life of Mukasa Godfrey, 50, a person with disability and resident of the area after fire destroyed grain stores.
Kisenyi is a fire outbreak prone area. For instance, in January 2022, the fire burnt over 45 maize mills leaving the traders counting losses. In June 2017, there was reports of another fire outbreak in the same area.
Despite many voices calling on investigations into the possible causes of fire outbreaks in schools, markets and other business centres, the police has not come out to give a comprehensive report on this matter.
