Woman tosses panty onto basket of tangerines

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has tried to force us to appreciate the benefits of a clean, organised city. They have only been successful because they attacked the root cause and not the symptoms.

First on the agenda was greening the city. Boda boda’s have never been good at obeying any rules so high pavements and iron bars have been put up along the islands in the middle of roads to prevent shortcuts. Pedestrians who insist on using the grass as a walkway are also being arrested for trespass.

When a no-nonsense woman heads a clean-up crew, you can be sure no cobweb is left untouched. First she came after us buyers. When you are caught at an illegal eatery having lunch or a quick snack, everyone is arrested.

Imagine going for lunch and then having to call the office to tell them you cannot come back as you are in police custody. Buying from a hawker on your way home? You and the hawker shall also climb into the KCCA pickup for a quick trip to the police station.

There is no fine to pay, you are quickly sentenced to one day of community service at the city garbage dump. Woe unto you if you are arrested after 4pm, as you get an overnight stay in the cooler where you have ample time to ponder if that shoe you were haggling over was really cheaper on the street.

Under the carpet

A couple of markets have been built on the outskirts of the central business district and excellent rental rates given – about Sh220 per month which translates to less than Sh11 per day. KCCA appears to have done their best to clean up the city and help traders earn a steady income until you look under the huge carpet in their offices.

The other day I was sitting in a matatu waiting for it to fill up so we could head home. A hawker who had decided KCCA does not work after 6pm was shocked when her basket of fruits was grabbed from her head. I am not sure how she did it, but before they had taken two steps, she had taken off her panty and tossed it on top of the basket amidst a barrage of insults. It was like she had dropped a live grenade on them! They dropped the basket and tangerines rolled all over the ground.

Honest living

They stood there sheepishly taking the abuse as the public joined in telling them work ended at 5pm, and that they should let the woman earn her living honestly.

I wondered aloud as to why hawkers are averse to using market areas. A fellow passenger was more than willing to volunteer an answer. Apparently some KCCA officials miss the old modus operandi and have taken to using mafia techniques.

They charge the stall owners one bunch of bananas and a cock every month as an additional rental fee when collecting the receipts for their monthly dues. Failure to pay the “live fee” gets your stall dismantled, your wares tossed out and the stall given to a more understanding owner. No wonder hawkers creep into town after 6pm.