Summary:

• Motorcycle mechanics occupying sidewalks in Hoima City, despite being relocated to an industrial area, pose safety risks to pedestrians and create noise pollution, prompting calls for their eviction and return to the designated zone.

Motorcycle mechanics operating along certain streets in Hoima City pose a serious threat to pedestrian safety and create chaos on the roads, prompting concerns about potential accidents and the scramble for space between them and motorists.

Despite having been relocated to the Kiryateete industrial area years ago to clear sidewalks for pedestrians when Hoima was still a municipality, these mechanics have resurfaced since the city’s elevation in status. This resurgence, coupled with increased traffic and population, has led to pedestrians risking collisions with vehicles on roads, as the designated walkways are now occupied by motorcycle repair activities.

Residents, such as Ms. Sharon Karungi from Kiganda cell in East Division, express worries about the precarious situation. She points out that the motorcycle mechanics not only endanger pedestrians but also contribute to the disarray and untidiness of the city. The pavements and roads suffer from oil spillage, and discarded materials from repair work litter the area.

Amidst the serene atmosphere sought by various businesses in the central business area, entrepreneurs endure an unavoidable cacophony. The noise emanates primarily from poorly sealed exhaust systems and persistent motorcycle horn honks during mechanics’ tests on repaired motorcycles.

A concerned anonymous businessman in Hoima City questions why the current city leadership tolerates the mechanics’ encroachment, emphasizing the risk to pedestrians’ lives and the adverse impact on the city’s aesthetics. He advocates for the eviction of the mechanics, proposing a return to the designated Kiryateete industrial area, as was done during Hoima’s municipality era, to eliminate noise pollution and the environmental impact of their work.

Despite previous efforts to relocate the mechanics, they remain on the sidewalks, seemingly undeterred by the city’s reminders. The Mayor for Hoima City East Division, Mr. Bosco Muhanuuzi, urges both the division and city authorities to collaborate in ensuring the mechanics return to Kiryateete, safeguarding the city’s polished roads from damage caused by oil and maintaining a more organized urban environment.

Kazi Njema contributed to this report