By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu,
National
Government has prohibited the use of sidewalks and public roads for commercial activities, and other purposes inimical to the interest of the pedestrians.
Works and Transport minister, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala in a circular to Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Dorothy Kisaka, UNRA ED Allen Kagina, all town clerks and district CAOs, seeks to penalize wrongful acts in the use of sidewalks and public roads, which are meant for the use and enjoyment of the general public.
Small businesses have used and occupied sidewalks particularly in the city Kampala and other urban areas leaving pedestrians with no choice but to walk by the roadside, exposing them to greater risks of bodily injury and even death.
But, minister Katumba says that such activities force residents and business establishments to use the streets as parking lots for their own vehicles, thereby clogging the already narrow roads and impeding the free flow of traffic.
“It has been noted with great concern that there are many trading activities on road shoulders and sidewalks especially in urban areas, which usually lead to interference with movement of vehicles and pedestrians, encroachment on the road carriageway leading to increased incidences of vehicle conflicts, traffic jams due to vehicles slowing down unnecessarily and clogging of drains due to poor waste management in road sections with trading activities,” Gen. Katumba said in a circular.
Section 4(3) of the Roads Act, 2019, gives entities such as KCCA, UNRA, a mandate to ensure construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, maintenance, protection and supervision of public roads under their jurisdiction.
Also, Section 65(1)(e) of the Roads Act, 2019, states that, “a person who carries out a business activity on the shoulder, sidewalk or road reserve of a public road commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred sixty-eight currency points or imprisonment not exceeding seven years or both.”
The minister has therefore asked the concerned entities to use their respective enforcement teams to implement the above Sections of the Roads Act and ensure total ban of trading activities on public roadsides.
