Banda: A hub of confusion
Jun 27, 2007
MUSIC booms from a roadside bar, a taxi tout shouts at the top of his voice: ‘Bweyogere, Kireka, Seeta,†while beckoning passengers wildly. Dirty streams, muggers and malwa (a local brew). This is Banda Trading Centre. It is located about four miles on the Kampala—Jinja highway.
By Ismail Lugumire
and Moses Ongodia
MUSIC booms from a roadside bar, a taxi tout shouts at the top of his voice: ‘Bweyogere, Kireka, Seeta,†while beckoning passengers wildly. Dirty streams, muggers and malwa (a local brew). This is Banda Trading Centre. It is located about four miles on the Kampala—Jinja highway.
According to Henry Ssenyonga, the LC1 chairman of Banda Zone 9, the village has got 11 zones. The 37-year-old has been chairman of this zone for 15 years.
Banda is a multi-ethnic settlement, with Baganda being the dominant tribe. There are also many students from Kyambogo University living in hostels there. However, these hostels has become a headache for LCs.
“At the beginning of every semester, thieves pretend to be new students and rob people,†Ssenyonga, who is also a Special Police Constable, says.
The Banda Zone 10 chairman, Patrick Ssebalamu, says: “Positively, they (hostels) contribute to funds for security, but the students move late at night, making keeping security difficult.â€
As a result, LCs decided to issue zonal identity cards to everybody. “We also asked all hostels to close by 10:00pm,†Ssebalamu says. A big population means a lot of garbage is generated.
“It is very difficult to mobilise people here. They don’t want to take part in communal work. If it is about cleaning the area, they always refer us to Kampala City Council,†Ssenyonga says.
The streams running through the area are clogged with garbage. This affects the drainage system and sanitation.
Ssebalamu concurs with him. He has been a local leader in this area for 20 years. Residents talked to, however, disagree with their leaders.
“The local leaders are poor mobilisers. They don’t effectively communicate with residents whenever there is a problem,†says Samuel Kizito, a welder near the taxi stage.
But, people seem unconcerned about the activities of their leaders. In a scheduled village meeting, only a handful attended.
“When you call village meetings, they don’t want to come,†Ssenyonga says.
When new members come to the area, their landlords do not introduce them to the LCs. “However, when they get problems, they come to us for assistance,†Ssenyonga says.
Residents claim that LCs demand money for anything. “Some of us do not have money to give them whenever we go there to report something,†a resident says.
Most of the houses were built too close to each other. “The area has turned into a slum. Everything is done haphazardly,†Ssenyonga complains.
Drinking and having a good time are some of the leading pass times for residents. There are bars that sell malwa. Drunkenness is a cause of fights among the locals.
Drug abuse is also rampant. “There are many drug addicts. Some of them even come from other areas,†Ssenyonga says.
He has used several measures to try and stop drug abuse, including peer talk, sensitisation, arresting and handing suspects over to the Police.
and Moses Ongodia
MUSIC booms from a roadside bar, a taxi tout shouts at the top of his voice: ‘Bweyogere, Kireka, Seeta,†while beckoning passengers wildly. Dirty streams, muggers and malwa (a local brew). This is Banda Trading Centre. It is located about four miles on the Kampala—Jinja highway.
According to Henry Ssenyonga, the LC1 chairman of Banda Zone 9, the village has got 11 zones. The 37-year-old has been chairman of this zone for 15 years.
Banda is a multi-ethnic settlement, with Baganda being the dominant tribe. There are also many students from Kyambogo University living in hostels there. However, these hostels has become a headache for LCs.
“At the beginning of every semester, thieves pretend to be new students and rob people,†Ssenyonga, who is also a Special Police Constable, says.
The Banda Zone 10 chairman, Patrick Ssebalamu, says: “Positively, they (hostels) contribute to funds for security, but the students move late at night, making keeping security difficult.â€
As a result, LCs decided to issue zonal identity cards to everybody. “We also asked all hostels to close by 10:00pm,†Ssebalamu says. A big population means a lot of garbage is generated.
“It is very difficult to mobilise people here. They don’t want to take part in communal work. If it is about cleaning the area, they always refer us to Kampala City Council,†Ssenyonga says.
The streams running through the area are clogged with garbage. This affects the drainage system and sanitation.
Ssebalamu concurs with him. He has been a local leader in this area for 20 years. Residents talked to, however, disagree with their leaders.
“The local leaders are poor mobilisers. They don’t effectively communicate with residents whenever there is a problem,†says Samuel Kizito, a welder near the taxi stage.
But, people seem unconcerned about the activities of their leaders. In a scheduled village meeting, only a handful attended.
“When you call village meetings, they don’t want to come,†Ssenyonga says.
When new members come to the area, their landlords do not introduce them to the LCs. “However, when they get problems, they come to us for assistance,†Ssenyonga says.
Residents claim that LCs demand money for anything. “Some of us do not have money to give them whenever we go there to report something,†a resident says.
Most of the houses were built too close to each other. “The area has turned into a slum. Everything is done haphazardly,†Ssenyonga complains.
Drinking and having a good time are some of the leading pass times for residents. There are bars that sell malwa. Drunkenness is a cause of fights among the locals.
Drug abuse is also rampant. “There are many drug addicts. Some of them even come from other areas,†Ssenyonga says.
He has used several measures to try and stop drug abuse, including peer talk, sensitisation, arresting and handing suspects over to the Police.