Iganga chokes on garbage

HYGIENE | IGANGA

Authorities in Iganga Municipality (Iganga district) have expressed fears that the presence of uncollected piles of garbage littered all over the streets could spark riots by disgruntled locals.

The mayor of Iganga municipal council, David Balaba, while speaking during a security meeting held at the Iganga district headquarters yesterday, urged the Police to carry out routine motorised and foot patrols along the main streets in a bid to curb any violent acts by disgruntled youth.

Balaba said Iganga municipal council assigned the two divisions of central and northern to conduct the cleaning of the town centre, which involves collection of garbage and trimming grass, but currently bank accounts of the two divisions have been drained, making it hard to pay casual laborers.

He said tax payers including lock up shop owners and taxi drivers have refused to pay taxes, claiming the President issued a directive exempting them, so they do not have money to pay people to clean the town.

Residents of Iganga municipality have threatened to dump the garbage at the offices of the two divisions, saying they can no longer stand the stench.

The chairperson of the central division, Hajji Saleh, accused some of their political opponents of taking advantage of the uncollected garbage to mobilise locals to litter garbage all over all the streets in order to tarnish their image.

Meanwhile, the Police have been forced to intervene.

The Iganga district Police commander, Nassibu Nditta, said they are using forks, hoes and spades to collect piles of garbage. He said lorries have been offered by sympathisers to help them collect the rubbish.

Nditta said he was forced to mobilise manpower from police, crime preventers and well wishers for fear that violence could break out as a result of heaps of uncollected garbage pilled along all the streets in Iganga municipal council.