Vincent Twesigye, the Rwenzori West Police Spokesperson urged the City leaders to create enough access roads a prerequisite for such incidences. He explains that whenever there is a fire outbreak, the firefighters spend a lot of time trying to reach many of the workshops in the crowded area.
The fire outbreaks
in Fort Portal City have been blamed on the congestion of Kisenyi slum.
Last month, hundreds
of traders were left counting losses after a fire gutted several Kiosks in
Kisenyi Cell, central division. The fire gutted merchandise, fridges,
electronics, timber workshops, and motorcycle spare parts among other items.
This was the third fire incident in two years in the same area. In 2019 fire
broke out in the lorry park in Rwengoma Ward. One person was left dead and
properties worth millions burnt to ashes.
In early
2020, fire gutted Brightman Executive Lodge. The fire spread to nearby hardware
and electronic shops destroying property worth millions.
The slum is a centre of all kinds of businesses ranging from garages, timber
workshops, restaurants, lodges and bars, and washing bays. There are also three
fuel stations and developers have erected residential houses and lack reliable water sources.
However, the businesses and houses are congested and sub-standard. One has
to squeeze through corridors to find their way through while strangers can
easily lose their way.
Samuel
Musana the Acting Fort Portal City Physical Planner Fort portal says that illegal
structures have cropped up in the area putting the lives of the residents at
risk.
He says that there are plans by the government to develop slums but still faces
challenges of multiple interests on land.
Vincent
Twesigye, the Rwenzori West Police Spokesperson urged the City leaders to
create enough access roads a prerequisite for such incidences. He explains that
whenever there is a fire outbreak, the firefighters spend a lot of time trying
to reach many of the workshops in the crowded area.
He also says
that National Water and Sewage Corporation-NWSC put in place fire hydrant
points in the city. A water
hydrant or fire plug is an upright pipe with a nozzle or sprout for drawing
from a water main by firefighters.
According to urban physical planning, the
plugs are supposed to be located in several strategic areas along the streets
to aid quick response of the fire brigade to put off fires.
Denis Muramuzi,
the Manager of NWSC Fort Portal Area said the city has only three fire hydrant
points in the City.
“We have no
problem with adding these power hydrants in the city because this water is
metered, however, police are found of misusing this water, especially in dry
season through selling it, yet it is intended for a different purpose” Muramuzi
revealed.
The City Town Clerk Moses Otimog says that the fire outbreaks in the City
especially in slum areas are a wake-up call to the authorities. He says that they
ensure that all developments in slim areas follow the physical planning laws.
Edson Ruyonga
the Fort Portal City Mayor says that there are plans to relocate the timber
workshops to another area to avoid congestion in the slum. He adds that due to the
poor housing planning, it is not easy for the police to
access fire accident points.
Some of the
traders who merchandise want the city authorities to pardon them from paying
taxes for six months.
//Cue in
indi omu habantu…
Cue out ….
temporary structures //
William
Mwesige mechanic who lost his spare parts shop wants the government to speed up the
process of sending them all the necessary aid to enable them to reconstruct their
businesses.
Mwesige Joel
Freelancer