Hoima City council in Match 2022, approved an ordinance intended to govern washing of cars and motorcycles, disorderly and illegal parking to ensure an organized urban area.
The by-law, first proposed on January 19, during an extraordinary council meeting at Resort Hotel in Hoima City, was passed unanimously after being developed with the guidance from the Solicitor General.
This is because Hoima city is increasingly becoming congested due to increased urbanisation as people flock the area in hordes to search for opportunities in the oil industry. This has resulted into an increase in the number of vehicles parked in awkward spots.
There is also the expansion of the sugarcane industry which has led to increase in the movement of trucks carrying sugarcane across the city, further ampliflying accidents.
The sugarcane companies receive cane from their plantations and out growers which is then transported to factories for processing.
Vehicles in bad mechanical conditions, coupled with reckless driving has in the past resulted into killing pedestrians, despite drivers of the said trucks being banned from passing through the central business district of Hoima City.
“We hope the by-law will ensure implementation to cause orderliness in the city. There is no way we could do enforcements and reprimand offenders without an enabling law,” Brian Kaboyo, the City Mayor, told The Albertine Journal, last month.
What is in the ordinance?
As the by-law awaits approval by the Solicitor General, here are the things to know about, “The local governments (Hoima City) roads, traffic, parking and washing areas) ordinance, 2021”.
On washing areas, after ecological systems have been degraded by encroachers due to immense human activities like car washing, farming and construction, among others, the ordinance gives council powers to designate parking areas, washing bays, prohibit driving in a dangerous manner.
Others are, prohibits delivering the loading and disembarking of passengers in anuthorised areas and loading of passengers outside a taxi park.
The ordinance if approved by the Solicitor General also allows council to levy fees for washing bays, parking, other commercial vehicles, loading and offloading fees and allow impounding of vehicles, bicycles and motorcycles for failure to pay fees.
The ordinance which The Albertine Journal, has obtained criminalises the parking of vehicles on pavements, green belts and touting for passengers.
It (ordinance) prohibits the repairing of vehicles, motorcycles or bicycles, washing of vehicles and motorcycles in unauthorised areas.
It also makes one culpable if found selling agricultural produce, food and charcoal on streets and outlaws letting livestock wander (graze) on streets and in unofficial places of the City.
The ordinance prescribes a fine not exceeding two currency points (sh20,000) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both for anyone found guilty of breaching the said regulations.