NAPE to sue business Entities not complying with the Kavera ban.

NAPE to sue business Entities not complying with the Kavera ban.

August 20, 2015      

PRESS STATEMENT ON KAVERA BAN (POLYTHENE BAGS): As you may recall, NEMA on 15th April 2015 banned the use of polythene bags commonly known as Kavera. This decision was arrived at based on the dangers associated with it on environment and all its habitats. These among others include the following;

  • Clogging of water channels both in urban and rural towns and.
  • Impeding smooth water filtration and percolation in soil.
  • Producing dangerous chemical products when used to wrap or cover food stuffs.
  • Releasing of cancerous fumes in the air when burnt, posing danger to human lives. Killing of animals when accidently swallowed among others.

As NAPE joins the rest of the world to celebrate the world environmental day whose theme is ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care‘. We are going to sue business entities that have deliberately refused to comply with the ban on Kavera, which was effected on 15th April 2015 by National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA). Seven billion dreams can only be realized if the planetary resources are managed/consumed/ planned for rationally to meet the needs of the current generation without comprising the ability of the future generation to meet theirs.

We do appreciate NEMA for taking a firm stand to effect the ban, because we have conducted a quick scan in Kampala, Entebbe, Masaka, Kasese, Hoima and Jinja and we have found out that big supermarkets are trying to implement the ban. But we have also found out that the almost all small business shops and some of the big super markets are still using Kavera.

We note with concern that, while there are some big business entities trying to comply with the ban, many others are not. Worse still, the ban appears as if it does not affect the rural business community and small business holders. The small business holders and the rural business community have continued to use Kavera in their day to day business.

We strongly warn the business community that, if they cannot comply with the ban within one month from today (5/6/2015), we will take them to court. We have consulted our lawyers they say businesses not complying are culpable and are liable to environmental damage caused by Kavera. We have a full list of culprits.

We also urge consumers to desist from purchasing in non compliant business entities (whose names are, refer to the list annexed).
We therefore recommend the following;

  • NEMA should strengthen the campaign against the Ban on Kavera without heeding to the intimidation by the business community and selfish politicians in government.
  • NEMA should exercise its mandate, and hence conduct research to ascertain the extent to which the ban is being enforced and publish businesses, which are complying with the ban and those, which are not.
  • The citizen should see the ban as an opportunity to save the environment and start making locally made packaging materials which are environmental friendly. We also urge government to support the local artisans improvising to come up with locally made packaging materials.
  • The public should desist from buying, accepting free Kavera given by the business community in form of packing.
  • NEMA should close even the small shops in rural areas and city suburbs, which are not complying.
  • NEMA should arrest those people who are not complying with the ban (manufacturers, shop owners and users) and take them to court.

We therefore, urge government, the manufacturers, business community, to bring to an end the use of kavera, otherwise, this year’s environmental day celebrations theme, which is ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care, will not be realized. List of sup

Let us work together and save our Environment because Environment is our life. MONITORING COMPLIANCE OF KAVERA BAN IN UGANDA BY NAPE

Signed by

Frank Muramuzi
Executive Director
For and on behalf of NAPE.