Kampala Capital City Authority has extended the clearance of illegal kiosks in Kampala to include the city suburbs.
Peter Kaujju, the KCCA spokesman told Uganda Radio Network on Monday that the current kiosks in the city and its suburbs are illegal and that the KCCA enforcement team has been deployed to remove them from the streets, walk ways and pavements.
He says KCCA has set up guidelines for the establishment of standardized kiosks in the city.
According to Kaujju the guidelines have already been approved at the committee of physical planning, waiting to be endorsed by the authority meeting headed by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
Kaujju says the exercises started in the Central Business District and has now been rolled out to include the other divisions of Kawempe, Nakawa, Makindye and Lubaga.
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Kaujju, says in 2011, KCCA stopped issuing new permits for kiosk operators until the new guidelines are approved by the council. He notes that all kiosk permits expired in December 2011.
John Muwanguzi, the KCCA councilor representing Kawempe, expressed hope that the new guidelines on kiosks shall be tabled for approval in the next authority meeting.
But Lukwago has not indicated the date for the next council meeting after two previous meetings flopped in January as a result of failing to raise quorum.
The NRM party councilors threatened to boycott Lukwago’s meetings until he revises his earlier position of appointing Sulaiman Kiddandala as his deputy.
The NRM councilors who are the majority in the authority want the Lord Mayor to appoint his deputy from the ruling party.
A copy of the kiosk draft guidelines seen by Uganda Radio Network, however, indicates that traders interested in constructing kiosks in the city shall have to apply after paying a non refundable fee of 500,000 shillings to KCCA.
The draft also sets a recommended standard size for kiosks at 3 feet by 7 feet, and that kiosks in the central business district shall be made of fiber glass or preferably aluminum, while those outside the central business district shall be made up of fibre glass, metallic canvas and wood.
KCCA shall only allow kiosks that deal in activities that include news vending, watch repairs, stamp repairs and shoe shining. Those for telecoms and other activities shall have to be approved by the KCCA physical planning department.
