KCCA stops licensing fuel stations

Kampala

There will be no more provision of licenses and approval of plans to investors who wish to establish fuel stations in the city, officials at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) have said.

Speaking to the Daily Monitor, Mr Robert Kalumba, the KCCA assistant spokesperson, said the move by the city governing body was aimed at averting the danger the city could face incase of an accident.

“We think that the fuel stations we have in the city are enough and we could be headed for a huge risk in case of any accident, for example, if we had a major fire,” Mr Kalumba said.
Due to the highly flammable nature of the fuel products, congestion of fueling stations could lead destruction of property and life loss in case of a fire accident.

By 2011, there was an estimated 30 fuel stations in the central division, yet the 1995 city plan calls for only five stations. Mr Joseph Ssemambo, the KCCA director of physical planning, said Uganda did not have regulations on the spacing of fuel stations, but added that there was no need of having numerous stations in residential areas.

An environmental impact assessment ought to be carried out and a report given to proprietors before a station is established. However, Mr Ssemambo said he was doubtful whether most city fuel stations was verified to get established.

akiyaga@ug.nationmedia.com