Bombs: Vendors ordered off streets as victims make losses

As security steps up vigilance in Kampala, the Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Mr Hudu Hussein, yesterday ordered vendors to immediately vacate all city streets and shift their merchandise to gazetted city markets.

His directive came on the heels of Tuesday’s mid-morning twin blasts in the heart of Kampala, one at Raja Chambers on Parliament Avenue and another at the Central Police Station (CPS).

The explosions saw a number of government and private properties destroyed.

Addressing journalists about the security situation in the country at his office yesterday, Mr Hudu said congested places are fertile grounds for bombers because their target is to kill many people.

But he assured Ugandans that the security agencies are on alert to avert any security threats posed by the rebels.

“I, therefore, appeal to the hawkers and vendors to vacate the streets with immediate effect. We are doing this for their safety and that of their clients. A compromised bomber can disguise as a hawker, street vendor or customer in a crowd on the street,” Mr Hudu said.

Relocation plan

Asked whether there was any relocation plan for the vendors, he said there has always been working spaces in gazetted public markets in the city such as Usafi and Wandegeya, adding that vendors are just defiant, and that is why they keep returning to streets.

Mr Hudu also directed all taxi stages that aren’t gazetted to be closed to reduce congestion.

There is still ongoing renovation works on Old Taxi Park. Taxi operators argue that there is limited space in the remaining public parks.

The Old Taxi Park had been scheduled for reopening last month but city authorities halted the move over unresolved land ownership wrangles.

Mr Hudu blamed the delay on the KCCA technocrats who he said are taking long to resolve the matter.

“As long as I am still the RCC of Kampala, I will not just sit and make speeches yet government programmes aren’t being implemented. KCCA is simply sleeping on the job and playing games because I wrote to them twice about reopening the Old Taxi Park but they are still taking their time. However, I will not allow such games to continue because people need services,” he said.

Properties damaged

At least 14 private and government cars were shattered in the twin bomb blasts.

Five of the cars belong to the government, including the two escort vehicles for the IGG and three police cars .Others were private cars that had been parked near the two scenes.

In an interview with Daily Monitor yesterday, the deputy spokesperson of Kampala Metropolitan Police, Mr Luke owoyesigyire, said at least seven cars were damaged at CPS.

“The two pickups were shattered beyond repair, while the other cars that belonged to security officers can be repaired. The owners have already towed them,” he said.

A number of windows and doors of offices belonging to private organisations were shuttered.

For instance, the doors and windows of Absa Bank, Diamond Trust Bank and a fly dubai officees that are few metres where the bomb exploded were all shattered.

Widows on the first floor of the Jubilee Insurance building were also smashed. 

Business near the bomb explosion scenes were closed.

All these areas were sealed off and only a forensic team and a few security officers were allowed to access them.

By press time yesterday, part of Buganda Road stretching from Mukwano Courts to CPS remained closed, affecting a number of arcades on that road.

Similarly, Parliament Avenue and Kimathi Avenue, which house a number of government ministries, including ICT, Ministry of Trade, restaurants and clinics were inaccessible.

A number of staff operating at a number of offices at Jubilee Insurance were stranded after security told them that the area had been cordoned off.

Centenary Bank suspended operations at some of their branches around the city centre but later resumed yesterday.

Businesses operated normally in other parts of the city amid heavy security deployment.

While addressing journalists yesterday, the acting chairperson of Kampala City Traders’ Association (Kacita), Mr Thaddeus Musoke, said they will work with security operatives to mobilise and sensitise traders about issues of security.

“We need to increase vigilance in our business premises through decongesting of corridors, restricting access ways in the buildings, provide space for security in case of response action, and ensure they have more sensitisation programmes, among others,” he said.

KCCA head offices reopen today

KCCA head office will reopen today after security officials closed it on Monday due to its proximity to Parliament Avenue where one of the bombs went off.

The KCCA’s deputy executive director, Mr David Luyimbazi Ssali, told Daily Monitor yesterday that security operatives together with technocrats at City Hall were still pacifying the facility to ensure that it is safe before workers report today.

Mr Luyimbazi said the institution has since heightened its security to counter any possible attack.