Petitioning the Mayor Kira Town Council and entire Wakiso District Leadership to close Leaf Tobacco and Commodity Factor LTD

Located in Kireka suburb.Kireka – Kampala, 6th November 2013

The Mayor Kira Town Council, LC Chairpersons of this community, distinguished members of the LC 1 council, Opinion Leaders in this community, aggrieved Members of this Community, “Abataka”, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the network of organisations fighting to protect the rights of our citizens from the deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke, we are calling upon you to close Leaf Tobacco and commodity Factory Limited with immediate effect.

Today we have come to you express our solidarity and support in the fight against this undue victimization by the unkindness of people who are profiting from production of toxic products known to harbour numerous chemicals and metals that threaten many lives the world over. The truth is that you have rendered a voice to those people who have lost dear ones to such undue exposure to tobacco smoke at workplaces, public places, transport facilities and other places where many people congregate.

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemicals and compounds in tobacco smoke, approximately 70 of which contain cancer causing elements and hundreds of which are otherwise toxic to human bodies. The proximity to this factory exposes People to various cancers, heart diseases, respiratory diseases and other illnesses, which result in many deaths. An assessment of 2004 data from 192 countries examining the worldwide burden of disease from exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) estimated that 600,000 of the six million tobacco caused pre-mature deaths were the result of exposure to SHS. Of these death caused by second hand smoke exposure, 47% were in women while 28% were in children. A review of data from 22 studies in 2007 showed that exposure to tobacco smoke increases lung cancer risk by 24% (Stayner et al 2007). The results of case-control and cohort studies carried out in multiple populations consistently show that SHS exposure poses about a 25%-30% increase in the risk of coronary heart disease (IOM 2010).

Some people in this community have persons with asthma or heart disease and their exposure to SHS can be immediately life-threatening. The children are at increased risk of acute respiratory infections, ear problems, asthma, induction and severe asthma exacerbation, and sudden infant death syndrome due to this exposure to smoke from this factory. We are also worried that there are pregnant women who have been exposed to the tobacco fumes from the factory and their babies are at greater risk of complicated health conditions. Our fear is based on a study which was conducted in 2011 that revealed that pregnant women exposed to tobacco smoke are estimated to be 23% more likely to experience stillbirth and 13% more likely to give birth to a child with a disability (Leonard-Bee, Britton, and Venn 2011).

It was a grave mistake for Leaf Tobacco and commodity limited Factory to have been placed here in the middle town where majority of people live and conduct their businesses. Those responsible for clearance of such decisions should have carried out adequate environmental assessments to ensure that their decision does not expose the communities around the factory to health risks.

We therefore demand as follows;

Closure of Leaf Tobacco and commodity limited Factory with immediate factory

Please join us in our campaign for passage of a comprehensive tobacco control bill into law. If Parliament fails to listen to our combined voices it will have signed a death warrant for millions of Ugandans and left a legacy of death and disease burden that will undermine the future of our country for years to come.

For God and My Country

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Civil Society Representative