Kampalans rioting to keep warm

By GRACE NAKATO

Did you know that cold increases levels of madness? It seems some Kampalans have decided to warm up by running around the streets throwing stones, burning tires and engaging police in combat.

The pockets of violence and reasons for demonstrating are varied. This has prompted police to issue a public notice in the media that they have adequate supplies of tear gas to engage rioters daily for a month and dared wananchi to bring it on!

Detour

In Uganda, we import almost everything from Dubai, China and Thailand, mainly price, not quality, being the only determinant as to how fast the goods will fly off the shelves. But government, in the guise of protecting mwananchi against unsafe or substandard goods, has spotted a revenue-collecting loophole — the PVOC system (Pre-export Verification of Conformity). An inspection fee will now onwards be paid at the country of origin, with the charge dependent on the country of origin and the importer footing the bill.

Angered, traders closed their shops and took to the streets because this, plus the additional taxes and council dues, is simply going to cripple their business.

His Lordship Elias Lukwago, the Kampala mayor, was on his way to court when he took a detour to join the traders. The mayor is in court battling with his councilors who are accusing him of incompetence, intimidation and misconduct and want him sacked.

When you disagree with his lordship, it seems, bad things are bound to happen to you. Ask one of the female councilors, a witness for the prosecution, who found herself locked in the toilet! In a scene reminiscent of high school, one of Lukwago’s female aides threatened to thump her for trying to ‘destabilise’ His Lordship. You see, the mayor is a darling of the traders and hawkers as he has repeatedly told them they don’t have to pay council dues because they pay rent and taxes (I wonder where his lordship thinks his salary comes from).

In Naija films, juju seems to be the main precursor of madness. But in Kampala, it appears there are also human omens. Dr Kizza Besigye (KB) of the ‘Walk to work fame’, who happens to be a great friend of the mayor, in solidarity with the majority, jo

To celebrate the meeting of the two friends, truckloads of police flocked the spot and engulfed the whole area in a pink haze that brought tears. Oh yes, a tear gas spraying van had been deployed in the area to quell potential riots.

Downtown Kampala is now a ghost town with police in combat gear keeping the peace. His lordship the mayor is under house arrest, while KB is ‘assisting police with investigations’. Cops timed him on Tuesday morning as he strolled out of his gate, and bundled him into a waiting police van.

Of course, he was held in a police cell for a whole day with no charges because Besigye’s presence drives the innocent public into a stone throwing and tyre burning frenzy.