The Observer (Kampala)
Charles Bukuwa
10 June 2009
column
Kampala's fuel depots located in the Industrial area are also too close to each other that if there was an explosion at one of them, Kampala would probably turn into a big fire ball.
Several calamities have befallen Uganda in the recent past.Over the past two years there have been incidents of fire in schools, markets and factories that have claimed lives and property.The most notable being the Budo Junior School fire and the Nakivubo Park Yard fire. There have also been deaths at construction sites either due to buildings collapsing or soil caving in as excavation takes place.Then the natural disasters like the floods that hit Eastern Uganda last year destroying crops, bridges and houses and the ever increasing floods in Kampala. But other than those, there are yet more to come, only that many could be avoided. If only we paid attention;
Fuel stations and depots
Kampala City has probably the highest number of fuel stations per kilometre in the world, and this raises serious health and safety concerns. Just imagine what would happen if there was a fire at one of the fuel stations!
Kampala's fuel depots in the Industrial Area are also too close to each other so much so that if there was an explosion at one of them, the city would probably turn into a big fire ball.
The danger is so great that even Lawrence Adiima, the Uganda Police's Chief Fire Officer, can only seek solace in prayer.
"You know those big tanks, we pray that such things do not happen otherwise if it does happen the whole Kampala would go," he said.
The sewerage system
The Kampala water and sewerage system was constructed during the colonial times and since independence it has not been known when the sewerage system was last serviced.
Scientists say that there is a lot of ammonia gas that is building up under there, so the gas could explode when ignited by a flame.
This may look farfetched now, but it is a big disaster waiting to happen.
Bridges
Bridges have collapsed before but the bridge that would have devastating effect is the one at Jinja which is already cracking.
Not only would it possibly claim lives, Uganda's economy could come to a standstill as the road that brings in most imports and takes out most exports through Kenya would be blocked.
And if the bridge at the Karuma Falls collapsed, the major connection to the Northern and West Nile parts of the country would be cut off. Fortunately, plans to build an alternative to the Jinja bridge are already under way.
Plane crashes
Fortunately, Entebbe International Airport has not witnessed a major passenger plane crash.
Recently a Russian cargo plane carrying supplies to the African Union forces in Somalia exploded into a fire ball on take off. The search and rescue service had to seek the help of the American Embassy to get to the wreckage of the aircraft, let alone finding the bodies of the crew. It remains to be seen how a crash of a bigger nature could be handled by the authorities at Entebbe. According to the Civil Aviation Authority Spokesperson, Ignie Igundura, capacity for managing accidents is determined by an internationally laid out procedure and standard. He says that this capacity is looked at in terms of classification of the airport.
"Entebbe international airport is classified as Class E and we have capacity rated at international standard for being able to search and rescue aircraft that operate to Entebbe," he says.
But still, we all need to watch out!
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