A closes door meeting of Ministers Amelia Kyambadde, Beny Namugwanya and Betty Amongi with Arcade owners including Hamis Kiggundu, Sudhir Rupalleria and others has resolved to reopen 48 city arcades which have so far conformed to the required Standard Operation Procedures ‘SOPs’.
In a meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to assess the progress of re-opening of arcades, the two parties agreed that only forty-eight (48) out of the eighty-four (84) arcades should be cleared to reopen after inspection.
Majority of the owners rejected gov’t continued closure of arcades which meet SOPs requesting to be reopened . Ministers responded to the demands pledging to reopen the cleared 48 arcades by the end of this week.
Minister Kyambadde said the cleared arcades will open on the orders of the president.
Ministers revealed that of the 200 arcades targeted for inspection and 83 arcades have been inspected and only 48 have been cleared. The 35 failed to pass the compliance levels and have been given a chance to improve.
The resolutions follow scuffles between police and Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) traders earlier today astraders attempted to reopen their shops.
Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde said that arcades will open after meeting SOPs and asked landlords to engage with their tenants to ensure they desist from creating chaos in the city.
The 48 cleared arcades include Aria Park plaza, Mukwano arcade, while the 35 include: Park View plaza, Royal complex, Boost complex, Gazaland plaza among others.
List of Arcades that have not conformed to SOPs.
