Kasese Authorities closes Basajjabalaba Hides and Skin business, manager arrested

By Alex Baluku

Authorities in Kasese Municipality in a joint operation with police have temporarily closed an illegal and offensive business of hides and skins located on the second Street, industrial area and subsequently arrested its Manager.

 
According to Theophilus Tibihika the area Town Clerk who issued the closure documents indicated that the business which has been operating for seven months does not have a running license contrary to section 8 of the Trade LicensingAct.

Tibihika revealed that the hides and skin business belongs to Farook Basajjabalaba.

It is  categorized as an offensive trade under the Public Health Act 2000 section 1 which requires an owner of the business to get additional instructions about the environmental safety and guidance from Council prior to acquisition of a license of which Basajjabalaba failed to get, Tibihika added.

A  letter on  28^th  July 2022, indicates that  a joint inspection team from both the Municipal Council and the District served the owner Basajjabalaba  a notice advising him to suspend his  business, which he  disobeyed till  when the long arm of the Government officially closed  him.

It is also alleged that on 01^st  August 2022, a complaint from the neighboring business community against the stench (bad smell) from the hides and skins business was addressed to the office of the Town Clerk and NEMA and copied to the relevant authorities which was verbally brought to attention of the business owner.

It is also indicated that on 19th October 2022, a nuisance notice was issued to the business owner instructing him to relocate his business to the industrial park or any other place away from the public which the business owner received, and like the previous notices, he ignored the instruction.  

Speaking to  The Second Opinion  at the site shortly after closing the business, the Town Clerk, Mr. Theophilus Tibihika said they decided to resort to its closure, arrest and prosecute the owner over non compliance to several guidelines since the community had complained a lot following the stench from the hides and skins.

Mr. Chance Kahindo, the Kasese Municipality Mayor, explained to the workers who were found on site that following the stench, the community had planned to demonstrate and storm the business.

He immediately ordered the company workers to vacate from the site or else wait to be arrested.

Mr. Dailamy Kaluuma, the Company Manager who was arrested and currently detained at Kasese Central Police Station condemned the Municipal Authorities for acting shiftily even when the management was in the process of putting in place all the mechanisms of controlling the stench from spreading into the community.

Some of the workers who were found on the site  told us  that it was not their wish to work in such a business but it was because of the hard economic situation that is hitting their families.