The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), together with the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) have conducted a joint operation to ensure city road reserves and green spaces are clear of encroachers and illegal activities.

The team comprising of KCCA and UNRA physical planners, environmental officers, engineers, surveyors, and the Uganda Police began with the operation focusing on ascertaining the situation of the road reserves, the extent of encroachment, available space for greening, condition of the road tarmac, walkways and drainages, illegal stages and activities on the road among others.

According to information from KCCA, the operation began with the tour of the Kampala Northern bypass, later the team visited the different markets, taxi parks and stages along the route.

Ville Agaba, the physical planner for Kawempe Division who headed the operation noted that this activity follows several activities and engagements that have happened before in line with the smart city campaign.

“We want a clean city, where people are safe to walk on the roads, where our mothers, fathers and all people are working in safe places like gazetted markets, where taxis and boda bodas are operating in designated parks and stages. We don’t want a congested city, we want Kampala to be clean, green, and organized,” Agaba said.

“As we moved through, we realized some people have encroached on the road reserves, boda bodas and taxis have created several illegal stages which have congested our roads and blocked pedestrian walkways. In Kalerwe market, some vendors also have set up stalls in the road reserves, we are engaging all these to comply so that we move smoothly to implement the smart city agenda” Agaba said.

UNRA’s project engineer Jude Kyobe noted that all road reserves had been secured after UNRA had compensated all parties affected and acquired the right of way.

On Thursday, UNRA announced that it will start evicting people that are operating in road reserves in Kampala city and on other major highways on September 1.

The Authority in a public notice issued Saturday, August 13, warned that all encroachers operating from all road reserves, shoulders and road junctions across the country risk being forcefully evicted if they don’t voluntarily leave.

“The exercise comes after a sustained period of engagements with the affected persons to encourage voluntary compliance,” the Authority said.

The Authority notes that while some of the encroachers have voluntarily vacated, others remain operating from the road reserves.

“The exercise will therefore target the non-compliant persons and upon commencement, the exercise will continue until when all the road reserves have been cleared,” the notice states.

Most of the road reserves in the country have encroached and their eviction often involves running battles with the police as many resist demolishing their structures. 

The business community that has turned road reserves into washing bays, garages and display yards will also be evicted. 

Many road reserves are encroached on by the business community who put up bars, stalls and even houses. This makes it difficult for authorities to expand roads, and construct drainage channels and utility lines.

In some cases, the encroachers claim ownership of the land and demand compensation from the government.

During Friday's operation, some people who were found operating in road reserves and green spaces were cautioned and ordered to vacate.