By Johnson Kanyesige
The Hoima City Department of Environment and Natural Resources has suspended the hosting of live bands and discos in several bars across the City over noise pollution.
Some of the affected bars include Kazinga Channel, Arrows, Danjo, Amooti Mukomboti, Café Milano among others.
According to Robert Byaruhanga, the City Environment and Natural Resources officers, the suspension followed several complaints from hotel owners like Hoima Resort, Kolping Hotel among others regarding the discomfort and restless nights raised by their visitors due to the loud music emanating from the bars.
Speaking to Spice FM this afternoon, Byaruhanga says several engagements have been held among the stakeholders and guidelines regarding management of noise were issued including requirements to improve and cushion their facilities to deter noise from extending to other City dwellers.
Byaruhanga says among other categories of people that will be affected by the guidelines on noise pollution are worship places playing loud music and preachings in the middle of the night especially in residential settings.
The City Environmental officer says they are not closing the operations of bars but rather suspending activities in those bars that generate noise.
He says those facilities that will continue flouting the issued guidelines against noise pollution will be subjected to enforcement by the National Environment and Management Authority (NEMA) in which property like music systems will be confiscated. He says the City and its residents have to be organized ahead of hosting AFCON games in 2027.
However, this development has been received with mixed reactions from some leaders and locals with some of them calling for a harmonized position between all stakeholders since these facilities are crucial to supporting the economy of the City.
Matia Kajura, the Bunyoro regional coordinator for Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has called for co-existance by all businesses and the City noting that bars provide livelihoods for many families.
He says instead of suspending some activities in the bars, City leadership should guide the operators on how to manage noise and operate responsibly.
Irumba Rogers and Geoffrey Twine have called on bar operators to provide for sound proof and enclosure of their facilities in order to remain in operations saying that they still have enough time to implement the directives before AFCON games arrive.
