Government has kicked off a program to inspect all arcades in Kampala Capital City to ensure that they adhere to the covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures- SOPs.
The development follows re-opening of the country by President Museveni, after 42 days of lockdown. The inspection exercise is being conducted by Kampala Capital City Authority- KCCA in partnership with security personnel from the Kampala Metropolitan Area.
According to the KCCA leadership, the arcades are required to have separate entrances and exits, CCTV Cameras to monitor activities, hand washing facilities at all entrances, a committee to enforce hand washing and wearing masks and temperature guns. They are also required to have isolation rooms where COVID 19 suspects can be managed.
Also, vendors operating on the verandas, corridors and in makeshift structures around the arcades have been banned.
According to the Director of Public Health and Environment at KCCA Dr Daniel Okello, the arcades that shall meet the requirements will be issued with a compliance certificate and allowed to open.
On Tuesday, the team inspected Mukwano Arcade and found that the toilet facilities had no running water. They also found stalls outside shops and a container erected in the compound.
The arcade management was told to improve the toilet facilities and remove the temporary structures before they can be permitted to open.
Kampala Central Deputy Resident City Commissioner Hawa Ndege noted that security will work closely with KCCA to ensure that there is compliance to the set SOPs.
The team will today inspect other arcades in different parts of the city.
