The Minister of State for Urban Development Isaac Musumba has announced that anyone caught littering the streets will be arrested and only be released upon paying a fine of sh2m.

“Every person in Uganda is now under obligation to refrain from littering or dropping rubbish outside the litter bins. On conviction, the offender will be subject to a fine of up to sh2m or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or both,” Musumba revealed yesterday at the Uganda Media Centre.

The Government recently introduced a new law under the Physical Planning Amendment Act which the President signed on January 20.

The new law consists of a number of harsh reforms.

Musumba says the law was tailored to weed out unplanned urban development that has caused unwanted cluttered growth.

“The law makes it mandatory for every premises to have a litter bin or garbage bin. It is an offence which upon conviction will attract a fine of up to sh2m or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both. People found of throwing rubbish out moving vehicle or sugar cane loaders who leave sugar cane leaves heaped in the road, or vendors who leave pineapple peelings heaped all over are all subject to fines under the law,”

The minister added that it is also an offence not to cut grass at your house compound.

“Every house must have its exterior painted regularly. It is now an offence to have one’s house look untidy and dirty. It is an offence if one does not paint their premises regularly. It is also an offence not to slash the green patch at one’s premises. This offence attracts a fine of sh2m or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both. If there is a green compound at your premises, it should be regularly slashed,” he added.