Are we ready for total kavera ban?
Jul 02, 2009
THE public debate on kavera ban is not balanced, with hardly any views from the private sector. I have had the privilege to listen to all sides of the debate including public, private and civil society and it is clear that there is danger of accepting ina
By Bruno Emwanu
THE public debate on kavera ban is not balanced, with hardly any views from the private sector. I have had the privilege to listen to all sides of the debate including public, private and civil society and it is clear that there is danger of accepting inaccuracies and inadequate information being circulated, half-baked ideas, and un-researched positions.
Not enough critical questions are being asked, not even from parliamentarians, neither from the majority nor the opposition parties, which is sad and surprising, yet we are about to plunge the country into the unknown.
The most popular argument that everybody seems to have bought is that Rwanda has done it, why not us?
So we have made Rwanda our benchmark? If Rwanda is the first country in the world to totally ban kavera, so they say, I suppose Uganda is now the second country in the world.
The argument ignores the fact that there are vast differences between Uganda and Rwanda, such as population size, level of economic development, demographic differences, geographical size, level of industrialisation, infrastructural deficiencies, and different visions.
Our vision is to become an industrialised country competing favourably in the region and beyond, while Rwanda dreams of becoming a centre of excellence in IT and service sectors.
No country in the world seeking industrial status can afford to ban plastic bags for packaging.
Putting aside for the moment the obvious arguments to protect investments, jobs and taxes that will be affected by the total ban, which MP Betty Anywar, the environment shadow minister and others dismiss as purely economic arguments and anti-environment, I put forward pro-environment questions that have been missed in the debate.
Environment minister Maria Mutagamba recently met the private sector after the ban and appreciated their pro-environment views, but unfortunately was misunderstood, misquoted and vilified.
The critics selectively picked out the economic arguments and conveniently discarded the pro-environment view points, which was the main reason for the meeting. Mutagamba in my view is more pragmatic and realistic in her approach on saving the environment, than the critics and hers is the approach we should all support.
I will proceed to ask several questions to get us thinking of the other side: What will happen to kavera already out there in the trenches, channels, flying around in our compounds, gardens, roadsides and all around?
What happens to the additional millions and millions of kavera that will be used, and will flood the country between now and January 2010 when the total ban is imposed? What happens to the kavera that will continue entering the country through illegal means?
Why is the private sector of Rwanda highly opposed to the kavera ban several years after the ban was imposed? (They have written a strong petition to the Government to reverse the decision).
In a presentation in Arusha on sharing experiences on kavera by private and public sectors of the five EAC countries last November, we were surprised to learn that there are still major challenges in Rwanda several years after the ban. Are our members of Parliament who support the total ban fully informed of these challenges, or do we just fall into the same ditch?
Why are some Rwandan businesspeople still buying kavera for ‘industrial packaging’ from Ugandan manufacturers? How are these entering Rwanda?
Have MPs supporting a total ban seen the waste management policy proposal of the private sector (UMA proposal in particular), and have they given audience to the private sector or not?
Are MPs aware that the Government has never sat with the private sector even once to discuss the waste management proposal presented to it, despite several attempts by the private sector calling for such a meeting?
Is the input of the private sector who have suggested practical solutions, therefore, of any consequence in national affairs of such great importance or not?
On the other hand, have MPs seen a similar proposal on waste management policy that has been proposed by the Government, that matches or counters that of the private sector?
I put it to the MPs that the Government has never produced a waste management policy that gives guidance to the public on how to manage the disposal of kavera, including the need for collection points, and related activities, whereas the private sector has.
A current clean-up exercise in Nakawa Division initiated by the private sector cleared trenches and their surroundings from Kitintale to Luzira, and placed garbage bins donated by the private sector along the roadside to which the public responded by putting garbage into the right bins.
However, the garbage remained uncollected by KCC for three weeks, which is a weakness in our institutions relating to management of the environment.
This demoralises collective effort to keep our environment clean, and yet our environment-friendly MPs are invisible in spearheading reform in this area. They are not even seen leading sensitisation campaigns in their own communities.
The Nakawa clean-up exercise brought out rubbish from the trenches that consisted among other things, a wide variety of plastics besides kavera, including milk packs, mineral water bottles, drinking straws, packets of drinks made in Uganda, woven bags, Coke plastic bottles, and several others, all of which were in big quantities.
Are the MPs suggesting that all these items should be banned?
Explaining how the Government will implement the ban, NEMA officials confidently say that the Government will use the Rwandan model.
This requires anybody bringing in wrapped items like clothes, to unwrap these and leave the kavera at the border point.
However, considering that Uganda’s economy is much bigger and vibrant than Rwanda, with more goods crossing, do we have the capacity and shall we also unwrap sensitive items, as such inside linings of imported cars, television sets, computers, and many more?
If we unwrap these, shall we still be a viable trading partner and competitive, while anticipating even bigger volumes of trade come the Common Market (EAC then COMESA)?
What about the huge quantities of kavera collected at the border points? How do we manage this if we have built no capacity to manage internally?
Have those people supporting a total ban finally decided that Ugandans are so dumb and un-teachable?
Why can’t Ugandans be sensitised and educated, if necessary by example, that garbage even with plastic waste can be managed?
Other countries have been successful, are we lesser human beings?
For instance, what guidelines are there for Ugandans of the consequences if found littering or throwing things out of the car, and why is environmental policing not in place?
Thinking through, I am convinced that Mutagamba has the better vision for managing the environment.
First, we need to reduce the damage already inflicted on the ground. Secondly, we must avoid hidden challenges of a total ban likely to make the environment even worse.
Lastly, we should choose sustainable solutions for future generations. Kavera is a product of a modern lifestyle and is a problem that will come back to haunt future generations as I feel is happening in Rwanda. Let us not go that route; this is the time for leadership and not political expediency.
The author is the director of business affairs at the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA).
These are his personal views not UMA’s
THE public debate on kavera ban is not balanced, with hardly any views from the private sector. I have had the privilege to listen to all sides of the debate including public, private and civil society and it is clear that there is danger of accepting inaccuracies and inadequate information being circulated, half-baked ideas, and un-researched positions.
Not enough critical questions are being asked, not even from parliamentarians, neither from the majority nor the opposition parties, which is sad and surprising, yet we are about to plunge the country into the unknown.
The most popular argument that everybody seems to have bought is that Rwanda has done it, why not us?
So we have made Rwanda our benchmark? If Rwanda is the first country in the world to totally ban kavera, so they say, I suppose Uganda is now the second country in the world.
The argument ignores the fact that there are vast differences between Uganda and Rwanda, such as population size, level of economic development, demographic differences, geographical size, level of industrialisation, infrastructural deficiencies, and different visions.
Our vision is to become an industrialised country competing favourably in the region and beyond, while Rwanda dreams of becoming a centre of excellence in IT and service sectors.
No country in the world seeking industrial status can afford to ban plastic bags for packaging.
Putting aside for the moment the obvious arguments to protect investments, jobs and taxes that will be affected by the total ban, which MP Betty Anywar, the environment shadow minister and others dismiss as purely economic arguments and anti-environment, I put forward pro-environment questions that have been missed in the debate.
Environment minister Maria Mutagamba recently met the private sector after the ban and appreciated their pro-environment views, but unfortunately was misunderstood, misquoted and vilified.
The critics selectively picked out the economic arguments and conveniently discarded the pro-environment view points, which was the main reason for the meeting. Mutagamba in my view is more pragmatic and realistic in her approach on saving the environment, than the critics and hers is the approach we should all support.
I will proceed to ask several questions to get us thinking of the other side: What will happen to kavera already out there in the trenches, channels, flying around in our compounds, gardens, roadsides and all around?
What happens to the additional millions and millions of kavera that will be used, and will flood the country between now and January 2010 when the total ban is imposed? What happens to the kavera that will continue entering the country through illegal means?
Why is the private sector of Rwanda highly opposed to the kavera ban several years after the ban was imposed? (They have written a strong petition to the Government to reverse the decision).
In a presentation in Arusha on sharing experiences on kavera by private and public sectors of the five EAC countries last November, we were surprised to learn that there are still major challenges in Rwanda several years after the ban. Are our members of Parliament who support the total ban fully informed of these challenges, or do we just fall into the same ditch?
Why are some Rwandan businesspeople still buying kavera for ‘industrial packaging’ from Ugandan manufacturers? How are these entering Rwanda?
Have MPs supporting a total ban seen the waste management policy proposal of the private sector (UMA proposal in particular), and have they given audience to the private sector or not?
Are MPs aware that the Government has never sat with the private sector even once to discuss the waste management proposal presented to it, despite several attempts by the private sector calling for such a meeting?
Is the input of the private sector who have suggested practical solutions, therefore, of any consequence in national affairs of such great importance or not?
On the other hand, have MPs seen a similar proposal on waste management policy that has been proposed by the Government, that matches or counters that of the private sector?
I put it to the MPs that the Government has never produced a waste management policy that gives guidance to the public on how to manage the disposal of kavera, including the need for collection points, and related activities, whereas the private sector has.
A current clean-up exercise in Nakawa Division initiated by the private sector cleared trenches and their surroundings from Kitintale to Luzira, and placed garbage bins donated by the private sector along the roadside to which the public responded by putting garbage into the right bins.
However, the garbage remained uncollected by KCC for three weeks, which is a weakness in our institutions relating to management of the environment.
This demoralises collective effort to keep our environment clean, and yet our environment-friendly MPs are invisible in spearheading reform in this area. They are not even seen leading sensitisation campaigns in their own communities.
The Nakawa clean-up exercise brought out rubbish from the trenches that consisted among other things, a wide variety of plastics besides kavera, including milk packs, mineral water bottles, drinking straws, packets of drinks made in Uganda, woven bags, Coke plastic bottles, and several others, all of which were in big quantities.
Are the MPs suggesting that all these items should be banned?
Explaining how the Government will implement the ban, NEMA officials confidently say that the Government will use the Rwandan model.
This requires anybody bringing in wrapped items like clothes, to unwrap these and leave the kavera at the border point.
However, considering that Uganda’s economy is much bigger and vibrant than Rwanda, with more goods crossing, do we have the capacity and shall we also unwrap sensitive items, as such inside linings of imported cars, television sets, computers, and many more?
If we unwrap these, shall we still be a viable trading partner and competitive, while anticipating even bigger volumes of trade come the Common Market (EAC then COMESA)?
What about the huge quantities of kavera collected at the border points? How do we manage this if we have built no capacity to manage internally?
Have those people supporting a total ban finally decided that Ugandans are so dumb and un-teachable?
Why can’t Ugandans be sensitised and educated, if necessary by example, that garbage even with plastic waste can be managed?
Other countries have been successful, are we lesser human beings?
For instance, what guidelines are there for Ugandans of the consequences if found littering or throwing things out of the car, and why is environmental policing not in place?
Thinking through, I am convinced that Mutagamba has the better vision for managing the environment.
First, we need to reduce the damage already inflicted on the ground. Secondly, we must avoid hidden challenges of a total ban likely to make the environment even worse.
Lastly, we should choose sustainable solutions for future generations. Kavera is a product of a modern lifestyle and is a problem that will come back to haunt future generations as I feel is happening in Rwanda. Let us not go that route; this is the time for leadership and not political expediency.
The author is the director of business affairs at the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA).
These are his personal views not UMA’s