By Kalumba Ronald
Mukono district heads have failed to fight illegal sand mining in Wasinga village,Mpunge sub-county.
This has affected residents in making transport difficult after the illegal sand miners diverted the district road to Mpunge.
The district speaker Emmanuel Mbonye said some leaders tried hard to point out suspects involved in this but other leaders sat back and even defended them. “The culprits were arrested by Mukono police and even taken to court but after being bailed out they went back and started from where they ended.
“I tried to talk to the district heads but they tried to be so difficult,the executive committee is also not functioning,”Speaker said.
He said some of the members on the committee can’t work as expected as they fear the district heads.
Julius Mutebbi one of the residents in Mpunge said transport to Mpunge was cut off after sand miners diverting the road.
” We can not be able to travel to and from Mpunge sub-county during rainy seasons,”Mutebbi said.
Recently the LCV chairperson Andrew Senyonga said culprits were arrested and taken to court, so they are in the right hands. He also said he is not aware of these people who are on bail if they are still going on with sand mining.
Ssenyonga was also grilled in the recent council meeting over sale of district property. He was asked by the speaker Mbonye to explain how they were involved in illegal sale of district property.
Ssenyonga accuses some of the district political wing of having involved themselves into illegal sand mining which has resulted into destruction of public road in the area.
He narrates that as Mukono district it has over 20 sand mining sites and majority of them are not regulate and trucks which ferry sand have greatly affected district roads.
Background
Top police officers in Mukono District risked facing disciplinary action over alleged failure to halt illegal sand mining in Wasinga Village, Mpunge Sub-County, Mukono District.
The police officers allegedly defied a directive issued by now former Mukono District, Rtd. Major David Matovu to flush out illegal sand miners from Wasinga Village which created suspicion that they were conniving with the illegal sand miners in that area. The uncontrolled sand mining in the area led to the diversion of Mukono-Nsanja-Mpunge-Kiziru road, which inconveniences motorists .The decision was reportedly taken without the knowledge of the district council. Besides, the activity threatens the existence of wetlands in the area.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Emilian Kayima in 2017, the officers were supposed to implement the directive since it was in public interest and their failure tantamount to indiscipline.
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