Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has adopted a striking new tactic to deter people from damaging urban green spaces. Those caught trampling grass or hacking through medians in Kampala are now handed a hoe on the spot and told to restore the very area they broke.
Dubbed “Tokola Error” (“Don’t Make an Error”), the enforcement initiative targets hot spots like road islands, roundabouts, and parks. Law enforcers, catching trespassers mid-transgression, quickly mobilize them into rehabilitation, making offenders clear the space themselves before being released.
In one symbolic moment, an official found a man scattering mango peel across a green island. Instead of fining the offender, authorities made him pick up the refuse and dispose of it responsibly.
Dr. Sarah Zalwango, KCCA’s acting director of health services, has spearheaded the campaign. She has even rallied residents in neglected neighborhoods to clean their areas under her supervision as part of visible community accountability.
KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki explained that while the instant punishment lacks legal standing, it’s proving effective and far gentler than court-mandated community service. The aim isn’t punitive but restorative: to encourage shared ownership of urban green zones and protect them from erosion, littering, and deterioration.
As Kampala battles climate change and seeks to improve its aesthetic and environmental resilience, this bold enforcement strategy offers more than deterrence it fosters civic cooperation and respect for public green infrastructure