Candidates in Kampala warned against illegal road drives

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA has asked candidates intending to hold road drives to first seek permission from the authority. This is to ensure that KCCA approves the route, time and how much sound will be emitted during the drive.

The State Minister for Kampala Benna Namugwanya told journalists at the Media Center on Friday that all road drives using public address systems are required to obtain clearance and follow prescribed routes.

She says that the directives are based on the National Environment Act and National Environment Noise Standards and Control Regulations of 2003, which prohibit the emission of noise above the permissible noise level unless permitted to do so.

According to the standards, permissible noise levels in residential areas is 40 decibels, 60 decibels for commercial areas and 75 decibels for industrial areas.

Namugwanya says that the drives should be done in a regularized manner. She says they will not shy away from dealing with non-compliant candidates.

KCCA has also asked the public to seek permission before plastering campaign posters in the public as provided for in the Physical Planning Act 2010 and guidelines of 2011.

The Act requires one to seek permission from the local government before putting up an advertisement sign and prohibits placing such signs where they obstruct visibility at a bend, junction which interferes with the road-users view of traffic signs and distract road users attention at hazardous sites.

Last month, KCCA issued a public notice calling for compliance with the law.

Namugwanya says despite the notice, there are still posters erected in positions where they block visibility of traffic signage and security installations. She says placing posters in wrong areas could lead to accidents while increased littering could lead to blockage of drainages.

Namugwanya says KCCA shall continue removing all posters placed in wrong areas. However, when KCCA issued the public notice in September, several politicians opposed it arguing that since candidates shall not be holding normal public rallies, they need to increase their visibility through such notices.

Government has also been criticized for enforcing the law selectively. Last week, police removed posters of presidential aspirant Robert Kyagulanyi from downtown Kampala saying they were blocking the road.

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