Kampala minister, Kamya to meet kifeesi criminals
Two individuals have petitioned the Minister for Kampala, Ms Beti Kamya over issues surrounding the land on which the market sits. File photo
What you need to know:
Reaching out. The Kampala minister says the move aims at listening to the gang’s issues so that they can reform.
Kampala.
Kampala minister Beti Kamya yesterday said she will meet with members of a criminal gang who continue to terrorise city residents.
The meeting in a fortnight is meant to help the ministry establish what informs the gang’s behaviour.
“These are groups with issues. We need to understand them,” Ms Kamya said during a press conference she called in Kampala to wish Muslim’s a pleasant Eid al–Fitr.
She said scheduling a meeting with the suspected thugs who operate under the name, kifeesi does not mean she recognises the group as legitimate.
“But you cannot wish them away just because you do not want to recognise them. If you could reach them and listen to them, maybe there is a way that we can help them to ‘dekifeesi’ (reform). For us, we shall reach them,” Ms Kamya said.
According to an account by the police, kifeesi origins can be traced to the early 2000s.
Then, some Kampala–based commuter minibus operators on the one hand, and motorcycle taxi (boda boda) operators on the other, would hire some unemployed youth to ‘protect’ their business routes against rivals.
With the battles more or less over, the hirelings reportedly turned to violent crime.
Ms Kamya said as part of efforts to build a Kampala that works, she had met Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and the KCCA executive director, Ms Jennifer Musisi, to push for a good working relationship between the two long-time rivals at City Hall.
Ms Kamya is also scheduled to meet boda boda operators, councillors and MPs in the various constituencies in Kampala.
She will also meet traders and professional bodies, especially those representing teachers, lawyers, doctors, architects, engineers and religious leaders.
“We shall seek out all stakeholders in our quest to build a Kampala that works for all stakeholders,” Ms Kamya said.
The KCCA ministry is currently drafting a schedule for the meetings with the various groups. The schedule will be released at the end of next week.
Speaking at the same press conference, the State minister for KCCA, Ms Benny Namugwanya, blamed the KCCA Act for wrangles between the current Ms Musisi and the Lord Mayor.
“The biggest blame goes to the existing law. When you look at the Kampala Capital City Act, it has a lot of lacuna. It creates a fusion of roles; the roles of the various stakeholders are not clearly spelt out. That is why you see that certain things that are supposed to be done by the ED are done by the Lord Mayor and the reverse is true.”
She said they plan to fast-track amendments to the Act in what is hoped will lead to a streamlining of leadership roles.
Kifeesi operations
Though kifeesi group was originally based in Katwe-Kinyoro zone in Kampala, it has since fanned out.It now reportedly controls the largest criminal operational area in the city, covering Nkrumah Road, Clock Tower, Conrad Plaza, Entebbe Road traffic lights spot, Kamu-Kamu Plaza, Allen Road, William Street, Market Street, part of Ben Kiwanuka Street from Mukwano Arcade to Shoprite Supermarket and Nakivubo Mews.
