The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority has asked Lira Municipal Council to halt the relocation of market vendors to the aerodrome land next to Lira airfield.
Last week, the municipal council passed a resolution to relocate some traders from produce lane in Lira town to the aerodrome land located in Railways division.
The municipal leaders went ahead to start grading the land ahead of the relocation process.
However, in a letter dated 11th June 2020 and signed by Fred K. Bamwesigye, the Deputy Director-General, CAA requested the municipal to stop any activity on the land.
“I have just learnt from our staff based in Lira airfield that the municipality is grading the entire runway strip/ shoulders to relocate market vendors. This letter serves to request you to cause a halt to any construction activities forthwith and stop any relocation of market vendors to this area pending plans from Uganda CAA to have the facility relocated to a new site in Anai.” The letter reads in part.
In 2015, Lira Municipal Council allocated the airfield land to developers who constructed illegal structures. CAA said that they wanted to exchange the old airfield land with another piece of land located in Anai in Lira sub county.
Bamwesigye says that the activities on the gazetted aerodrome land does not only contravene the aerodrome regulations but is also direct sabotage to national security and emergency operations infrastructure.
“It is not by accident that the airfield exists in the country and we continue to inject resources for making them usable.” The airfield is still operational and any activity that compromises its safety will not be tolerated.”
Mike Ogwang Olwa Veve, the Mayor Lira Municipality says CAA’s reaction has been triggered by people with political motives who are against the development of the municipality.
Last week, more than 300 traders were evicted from the bus park on the orders of Brigadier Michael Kabango, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces 5th Division Commander.
Kabango said that the congestion at Lira produce lane and the bus park contravened with the social distancing guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health to curtail to spread of covid-19.
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The Lira Municipal leadership should have first consulted or enquired from CAA, but adding insult to injury, CAA’s reaction has been blanketed as politically motivated. How sad!