Kalanda was raised by a single mother after losing his father during infancy. He says that his mother worked small jobs selling food items in the market and vending on the streets to fend for her family but couldn't raise much.
Ibrahim
Kalanda, 30, has lived on the streets of Kampala for more than 15 years
engaging in criminal activities like stealing and conning unsuspecting members
of the public. Born in Makerere in Kawempe Division, Kalanda targeted people on
different streets in the Central Business District to steal their valuables
like phones, bags, jewellery and laptops among others.
With his colleagues, they
also stole from vehicles left in parking lots without anyone keeping a close
watch. Kalanda was raised by a single mother after losing his father during infancy.
He says that his mother worked small jobs selling food items in the market and
vending on the streets to fend for her family but couldn't raise much.
Kalanda
recalls that sometimes they couldn't afford a meal a day and had to sleep on
empty stomachs. According to Kalanda, the poor conditions pushed him into the
streets to seek livelihood. In
Kawempe and Central Divisions, he got into the company of criminals whom he
worked with them since his early teen days.
//Cue in: "Nga sinnaba Ku...
Cue out: ...tunoonya kyakulya,"//
Kalanda, a senior four drop-out has also been abusing drugs just like many of
his colleagues born and raised in slums. He says the difficulties they go
through in the slums prompt them to resort to drug and alcohol abuse hoping
that they could forget their problems.
He, however, says that unfortunately when they get high on
drugs, they soon become hungry and do all they can to get money for survival.
Unemployed and without any alternative source of income, Kalanda says stealing
seems to be the only option for survival.
//Cue in: "Anti era okuntu...
Cue out: ...gyetulimi mu Kampala,"//
Kalanda says that his actions on the streets are regrettable and has now opted
out for a better life. The father of two is one of the more than 500 members
of the 7 Hills Team, a group of youths formerly involved in criminal activities
in different divisions of Kampala.
The group started three months ago is involved in sweeping the streets and
desilting drainage channels as a way of keeping them busy and demonstrate to
the authorities that they can transform and get involved in productive
ventures. Kalanda hopes that working with 7 Hills will help him get total
transformation into a decent and productive man.
He is optimistic that if 7
Hills is integrated into government, its members shall have a source of income
from, which they shall sustain themselves and their families.
//Cue in: "Ekirooto kyirinti mu...
Cue out: ...ababeera mu bitundu ebyo"//
7 Hills was started by heads of criminal gangs also known as
commanders in Kampala. Faruk Bulime, one of the commanders, says that the objective
of the group is to organise youths from the slums involved in criminal
activities such that they refocus their energy into productive activity.
Bulime, who was a thug himself, says that the high unemployment rates force
youths into theft and drug abuse. He says many have not acquired education
or have dropped out because their parents couldn't afford to keep them in
school.
//Cue in: "Bano abayaaye abefula...
Cue out: ...tegya tukolera,"//
Bulime says they chose to sweep roads and desilt drainage channels so as to
make a difference in their communities. Usually, there is flooding in different
parts of Kampala with water entering people's houses and claiming some lives.
According to Bulime, the 7 Hills Team has been working for close to three months
sweeping streets and desilting channels. Bulime says currently KCCA gives them
some protective gear like gumboots, gloves, spaded and hoes among others.
He wants KCCA to incorporate the group as part of their
casual Workers. He says youths in slums
are hardworking and capable of delivering on the job but only need guidance.
Bulime wants jobs like desilting drainage channels and cleaning the city to be
ring-fenced for youths in slums.
So far, he says they have at least 100 members in each of
the five-division of Kampala who have been working voluntarily and are willing
to continue working.
//Cue in: "Teri muntu ayinza...
Cue out: ...ye family yange,"//
Eng. Brian Baagala, the manager in charge of drainage at KCCA, says the
Authority is working with the team to ensure that they are remunerated. He says
the plan is to employ them as casual workers of KCCA such that they can earn a
living from their sweat.
KCCA manager of Sanitation Jude Byansi says the
authority already has a shortage of casual workers and could hence use the
youths if a budget is availed.
