Earlier this month, Kampala Capital Authority started on a green environment protection operation dubbed “Trespass and Serve”, arresting city dwellers who had made it a habit to litter, walk, rest and trespass into the city’s green belt. Many hawkers, motorists and individual city goers fell victims of these operations as some were subjected to community service while others were taken to City Hall court and charged with trespass.
The move was welcomed by environmentalists and climate change activists including the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) spokesperson, Sharon Oyat Arach, who commended the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for its ongoing efforts in environmental protection and beautification of the city. However, Oyat raised concerns about the recent arrests of individuals allegedly trespassing into gazetted green areas, citing imbalances and unfairness in the application of the enforcements.
City residents subjected to community service after trespassing KCCA Green belt.
“We appreciate the initiative that KCCA is taking on when it comes to the arrest and protection of our environment and the beautification of our city,” Arach said during a media briefing at the UPC headquarters. “However, this should be implemented with more consideration for the citizens.”
Referring to a recent incident that occurred last week, Arach noted that several individuals were arrested and later remanded to Luzira Prison for walking through designated green spaces. She emphasized that while protecting these areas is important, there is a need for public sensitization and the provision of safe, alternative walkways.
“The reason why most of our people are using those grass-allocated areas is because they are the safest places to walk through,” she explained. “KCCA must not only enforce environmental laws but also create clearly marked and safe pathways for pedestrians.”
Arach urged KCCA to launch a public awareness campaign to educate residents on which areas are protected and to offer practical alternatives before resorting to arrests.
“KCCA can go ahead and sensitize the people but also provide safe, allocated walkways for citizens. Only after due diligence should arrests be made,” she said.
Sharon Oyat Arach, UPC spokesperson.
KCCA maintains that taking shortcuts through road islands do not only put pedestrians and other motorists in danger but also destroys the green belts and other infrastructures in these spaces.
“This is unacceptable, desist from this barbaric behavior,” the authority warned.
