Above is a sample of one the house(marked x) that is going to be demolished.
By witnessradio.org Team
Kampala – Uganda; Bukenya Ali, 40, is one of the 300 families facing eviction in Kawaala zone II, Rubaga division, Kampala district off their ancestral land to give way for a 60 billion Uganda shillings (equivalent to about USD 17 million) construction of water drainage channel at Lubigi Swamp, allegedly financed by the World Bank and being implemented by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). The affected community accuses KCCA of failing to consult and sensitize them about the project.
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is the legal entity, established by an act of Parliament (KCCA Act, 2010), which is responsible for the administration and operations of the capital city of Kampala in Uganda.
Bukenya, who has stayed on the land for more than 30 years said all his properties were destroyed by armed security forces one (1) day after KCCA had issued a notice ordering them off the land within 28 days.
KCCA on 3rd/12/2020 issued a notice to all residents of Kawaala zone II to vacate their land for a Water trench construction site. The four-year project ending in 2022 was commissioned in August 2020.
“Banana plantations, coffee, maize, and sugarcanes have all been destroyed by gunned men, how will I feed my family without being compensated., Which future are they securing for us if our income-earning projects are demolished? I challenge KCCA to produce a list of people whom they have compensated” demanded Bukenya
Another victim, Kayongo Anderson, a 50-year-old said, they have been inviting KCCA for consultations but their response was negative, yet all their houses have been demarcated for demolition.
“I have lawfully occupied this piece of land for more than 35 years, and they are forcefully evicting us without compensation or resettlement, where do they want us to go,” asked Kayongo.
Memetebikulwa Christine, the secretary for the Environmental Protection Unit at Kawaala said that KCCA should pay these people because they are willing to vacate.
She added that since 2012, KCCA has been engaging in violent acts of destroying people’s properties but no action was taken by police to stop them.
Nuweabine Daniel, the KCCA spokesperson said that everyone was duly compensated and others were paid the disturbance fees, however, he failed to produce the compensation documents.
“We cleared over 320 families and the compensation went up to June this year, those people are only tarnishing our name,” he added.
He also said that the project implementation will kick off by December, 31st, 2020 upon the elapse of the 28 days notice.
