Trade minister disapproves of KCCA officer's use of excessive force

By Wasswa Deo

The Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Amelia Kyambadde has condemned the manner in which KCCA enforcement officers handle street vendors especially women, saying excessive force is uncalled for.

This follows the death of a one Olivia Basemera on Friday August 5th as she tried to escape from KCCA enforcement officers.

38 year old Basemera who was vending handkerchiefs reportedly jumped into the Nakivubo channel in a desperate attempt to escape and ended up losing her life.

In a statement released by Kyambadde, she regrets the death of Basemera saying such mistreatment and brutal arrests of street vendors by KCCA enforcement officers should come to a stop.

“Though the street vendors operate illegally, as human beings and fellow Ugandans, they deserve fair treatment especially the women majority of whom are single mothers fending  for their children in this era of high unemployment in Uganda”, exclaimed Kyambadde.