BY RWENZORI DAILY
The Kasese Municipal Authorities together with police have temporarily closed an illegal and offensive business of hides and skins on the second Street, industrial area and subsequently arrested its Manager.
The notice of closure that was signed by the Town Clerk, Mr. Theophilus Tibihika, indicated that the business which has been operating for now seven months and belongs to Mr. Farook Basajjabalaba does not have a license contrary to section 8 of the Trade Licensing Act.
It is also categorized as an offensive trade under the Public Health Act 2000 section 1 which requires an owner of the business to get additional instructions about the environmental safety and guidance from Council prior to acquisition of a license of which the owner did not get.
The letter also indicates that on 28th July 2022, a joint inspection team from both the Municipal Council and the District served the owner a notice advising him to suspend that business, which he has disobeyed till today when the business was officially closed by the authorities.
On 01st August 2022, a complaint from the neighbouring business community against the stench (bad smell) from the hides and skins business was addressed to the office of the Town Clerk and NEMA and copied to the relevant authorities which was verbally brought to attention of the business owner.
It is also indicated that on 19th October 2022, a nuisance notice was issued to the business owner instructing him to relocate his business to the industrial park or any other place away from the public which the business owner received, and like the previous notices, he ignored the instruction.
Speaking to the press at the site shortly after closing the business, the Town Clerk, Mr. Theophilus Tibihika said they decided to resort to its closure, arrest and prosecute the owner over non compliance to several guidelines since the community had complained a lot following the stench from the hides and skins.
Mr. Chance Kahindo, the Kasese Municipality Mayor, explained to the workers who were found on site that following the stench, the community had planned to demonstrate and storm the business.
He immediately ordered the company workers to vacate from the sight or else wait to be arrested.
Mr. Dailamy Kaluuma, the Company Manager who was arrested and is currently detained at Kasese Central Police Station condemned the Municipal Authorities for acting shiftily even when the management was in the process of putting in place all the mechanisms of controlling the stench from spreading into the community.
Some of the workers who were found on the site explained to the press that it was not their wish to work in such a business but it was because of the hard economic situation that is hitting their families.