Hon. Zambaali Bulasio Mukasa, the Member of Parliament for Nansana Municipality, has raised a matter of national importance on the floor of Parliament, calling for urgent government intervention following a series of devastating fire outbreaks that have resulted in loss of lives, destruction of property and distress among affected families.
While addressing Parliament, Hon. Zambaali drew attention to the recurring fire incidents in Nansana Municipality and other parts of the country, stressing the need to strengthen emergency response systems and ensure that communities can access timely firefighting services whenever disasters occur.
He particularly highlighted the recent tragic fire at Hami Junior School in Nansana, which claimed the lives of two pupils, describing the incident as a painful reminder of the urgent need to improve fire prevention, preparedness and emergency response in schools and other public facilities.
Hon. Zambaali expressed concern over the loss of young lives, noting that schools should provide safe environments where children can learn, grow and build their futures rather than places where families experience devastating loss.
“A school should not be a place where families lose the future, but a place where children discover their future,” he emphasised.
The legislator called on the government to establish a rapid fire response unit in Nansana Municipality to ensure that firefighters and emergency personnel can respond promptly to incidents before they escalate into major disasters.
He noted that timely intervention is critical in saving lives, protecting property and reducing the devastating consequences of fire outbreaks, particularly in densely populated urban communities where emergencies can spread rapidly.
Hon. Zambaali also appealed to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to extend support to families affected by the Hami Junior School tragedy, urging the government to stand with those who have lost their children during this difficult period.
He stressed that disaster response should not end with extinguishing fires but should also include providing appropriate assistance to bereaved families and other victims as they cope with the consequences of such incidents.
In further highlighting the urgency of the matter, Hon. Zambaali referred to a fire that reportedly occurred at Ivory Hotel in Nansana during the early hours of the morning, adding to concerns about the frequency of fire incidents in the municipality.
He also drew attention to the fire incident reported at Wandegeya Police Station last Thursday, pointing to the need for a broader national conversation on fire safety, emergency preparedness and the capacity of relevant institutions to respond effectively to disasters.
The incidents, he argued, underline the importance of moving beyond responding to individual emergencies towards developing a coordinated and adequately equipped national fire and rescue system.
Hon. Zambaali called for increased government attention to firefighting equipment, emergency response infrastructure, personnel and public awareness programmes aimed at preventing avoidable fire disasters.
He further emphasised the need to strengthen fire safety measures in schools, hotels, police facilities, commercial buildings and residential areas, with regular inspections and effective emergency preparedness plans to help minimise risks.
The legislator maintained that access to prompt firefighting services should be treated as an essential public safety requirement, particularly in rapidly growing municipalities such as Nansana, where increasing populations and expanding commercial activities demand stronger emergency response capacity.
His intervention places renewed focus on the responsibility of government institutions to protect lives, safeguard public infrastructure and ensure that communities are adequately prepared to respond to emergencies.
Hon. Zambaali’s appeal to Parliament and the government is for urgent, practical measures that will prevent further loss of life, support affected families and ensure that fire outbreaks do not continue to leave communities devastated.
He urged the relevant authorities to treat the matter with the urgency it deserves, emphasising that protecting children, families and public institutions must remain a national priority.
