Another garden for Police traffic officers

Uganda has enacted a new law that bans littering in Kampala, its capital city, and convicted offenders liable to a fine of about $500 (2 million Ugandan Shillings’) or jail term for a period not exceeding one year.  This is a new garden for police traffic officers.

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said the new measures are in line with new developments in physical planning.

Officials said the implementation of the new regulations had been placed in the hands of chief – parish or county, “because these are the people on the ground.

“It shall be an offence to litter. Every person in Uganda is now under obligation to refrain from littering or dropping rubbish outside the litter bins. On conviction, the offender will be subjected to a fine of up to Ugx 2 Million or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or both.”

Police has since picked it up to havest as usual. Any vehicle got without gabbage bins, drivers will be dealt with accordingly.

Other offences under the law are:

• Premises without litter or garbage bins – same fine as littering
• Throwing rubbish out of moving vehicles or sugarcane loaders leaving leaves heaps on roads same as pineapple peelings
• It is an offence for a house to look dirty and untidy
• It is an offence to not cut grass on one’s premises – fine of littering applies
• Businesses without pavers and unmaintained premises commit an offence
• Businesses must have a sign with street and plot name inscribed on it

Where a local government fails to implement the directives in the law, its funding will be reduced and withheld until compliance but an architect warns that the government needs to sensitize the public on the law.

Traffic officers are into big deals. You wonder why only number 97 since there are many others as you can see below:

PART VIII—MANAGEMENT OF WASTE
96. Duty to manage waste.
97. Prohibition of littering.
98. Extended producer responsibility and product stewardship.
99. General prohibition on import and export of waste.
100. Licence to export waste.
101. Transboundary movement of waste.
102. Classifcation and management of hazardous waste