The Executive Director of National Planning Authority (NPA), Dr Joseph Muvawala, has ordered for demolition of kiosks constructed in the service lanes in Jinja City. Not only in Jinja but Muvawala wants all kiosks established in alleys of urban centres across the country pulled down.
Dr Muvawala writes the orders in a letter addressed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local government and Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development. He stated that in accordance with the Physical Planning Act 2010, Jinja city and other urban areas in Uganda have approved Physical Development Plans (PDPs) to guide and regulate development.
A group of individuals baptising themselves as President Museveni supporters recently embarked on the construction of kiosks in the service lane that joins Clive Road west and Nizam Road west. The alley serves St James Secondary school and Oil Com petrol station in the East and commercial buildings and Total petrol station in the west.
The establishment of the illegal business structures has since created mixed reactions in the city, prompting reactions of NPA boss, Muvawala. He says Jinja has a detailed PDP for the Central Business District (CBD) that provides for the road network layout, attendant service lanes, and other elements.
“These service lanes are meant to provide service access such as loading and unloading of good/merchandise, emergency response, emptying of sewerage services and facilitate continuous active frontages on parallel streets without any interference,” Dr Muvawala writes in a letter dated May 23, 2024.
He observes that the PDPs have not been adhered to in Jinja city and other urban areas, arguing that the construction of the metallic kiosks in the service lane defeats the purpose for which the lanes was provide for.
“Construction of illegal kiosks in the Jinja city service lanes do not only hinder the meant services to be provided by the lanes but were also affecting the performance of businesses in the central market as vendors occupy the kiosks,” he added in the letter.
He elaborated on the purpose of his letter aiming to bring the illegal kiosk construction in the urban service lanes in the country to the attention of the Permanent Secretaries of two relevant and responsible ministries.
He also directed the Jinja City Clerk to immediately lead the dismantling of the kiosks to ensure that the lanes play their planned functions.
Recently, Mr Edward Lwanga, the Jinja City Clerk on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, ordered for the removal of the kiosks within a period of six days.
“This is to inform whoever is concerned with the installation of kiosks in the lane that during the city security committee meeting held at the resident City Commissioner’s office. It was unanimously resolved that all the above kiosks be removed not later than Monday, May 20, 2024,” he said.
“The purpose of this communication is to inform those concerned and remove the kiosks. Failure to comply will leave no other option, but the council will remove them without further notice,” he further said.
Notably, the wonderful project prompted some businessmen, operating around the alley to petition against the construction of the kiosks within the service lane.
Hajji Saidi Ediluma, Hajji Haka Mutahi, Mr Robert Wandaka and Hajji Wadina Wefe through Mugoya and Company Advocates claim that they are the owners of the land adjacent the embattled service lane which service as a road to offload construction materials of their ongoing construction projects.
The petitioners also claimed that the kiosks being constructed are wooden while some are metallic, which put their assets at a huge risk of fire outbreak. The said structures also do not have toilets, which endangers the hygiene of people around, and it is against the laws of Uganda.
This development remains a matter of serious concern amongst Jinja city residents, waiting for further actions of the respective authorities if there exists no progress in demolishing the kiosks.
