Africa-Press – Uganda. Leaders and residents of Namuwongo, a Kampala City suburb, have stopped a pastor from burning about 60,000 bricks which he has been making since churches were closed over Covid-19 pandemic for being near highly flammable fuel reserves.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Mr Elijah Owobusingye, the Wabigalo Parish chairman, confirmed the blocking of Pastor Tom Mpande from going ahead with his very risky mission.
He explained that the air is saturated with fuel fumes from the fuel tank reserves and trucks which deliver fuel.
“The LC1 chairman asked him to burn his bricks from elsewhere but he refused to adhere to the warnings. KCCA warned him as well but he ignored the warnings. Fire brigade is waiting for him to start his risky mission and have him arrested,” Mr Owobusingye said yesterday.
He said this was not the first time people were making bricks in the area but they always do so from safer areas.
Mr Owobusingye further explained that the place has cameras and smoke detectors that set off alarms.
He added that recently, they had to stop a woman who was frying cassava in the area.
“We have advised the pastor to relocate his bricks elsewhere because the area he wants to burn the bricks from is too close to Vivo Energy fuel depot,” he said.
He added that the moment the trucks get close to high temperatures, they have breathers which release pressure from the tanks so that they do not explode and these could spark off fire.
Burning is the last stage of brick making which usually hardens the building materials.
Last week, Pastor Mpande approached the Daily Monitor, which happens to be in the neighbourhood of the said fuel reserves, accusing the area leaders of sabotaging his brick laying project from which he expects to earn at least Shs15m to survive on since churches have remained closed despite majority of the places being reopened.
When asked yesterday whether he still insists on burning his bricks near the fuel tankers, he said he had found another place but at a cost of Shs550,000 and that he also needs another Shs3m to buy firewood and transfer the unburnt bricks to a new location, which money he doesn’t have.
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