Uganda: Shadow Minister Demands Action Over Market Fires

 

The Shadow Minister of Education, Hon. Gonzaga Ssewungu, has expressed concern over the rising cases of market fires in Kampala causing widespread losses.

Reports indicate that a fire outbreak at Katwe Market destroyed more than 700 businesses, with property worth millions of shillings reduced to ashes on 15th March 2026.

Hon. Ssewungu, who is also the MP for Kalungu West County demanded that government explains and provides a report about the fires.

“Could we know what is happening with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)? A lot of fires are happening and people are losing properties and money. Even in Jinja,” he asked.

According to Ssewungu, many people are constructing storage buildings in Kampala but the buildings do not have fire hydrants.

He suggested that the KCCA installs fire hydrants in the markets and arcades as a way of controlling the fires.

Speaker, Anita Among, who presided over the plenary sitting on Tuesday 17 March 2026 guided that the House should appropriate accordingly so that KCCA can address the challenges it faces.

She further interested the MP to analyse the report produced by the Committee on Presidential Affairs highlighting the challenges faced by KCCA.

Representing government, the Attorney General, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, committed to take the matter before the KCCA leadership and the Minister for Kampala.

Relatedly, the Leader of Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, petitioned government to clarify why KCCA arrested vendors who were demolishing parts of a building, later the authority demolishing the building themselves.

The Shadow Minister for Kampala and Lord Mayor-elect, Hon. Ronald Balimwezo, backed Ssenyonyi’s concerns, saying, “We need a thorough report from the Minister. Two lives were lost, and I personally spoke to the Executive Director, who confirmed issuing a demolition order to the developer, yet no one has taken responsibility.”

He requested the Speaker to set up a committee to investigate the issue.

Speaker Among however guided that there was no need to set up a committee since KCCA would appear before the Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.