The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A disagreement has emerged between Luwero town council and district authorities over the ownership of Kasana playground.
In 2021, Luwero district took over ownership and management of Kasana playground from Luwero town council. The playground is located in Kavule zone, Luwero town council.
However, in February 2023 the Town Clerk of Luwero town council wrote to the Solicitor General challenging the takeover and sought an opinion on the matter.
In the letter, the town clerk stated that the town council had the playground for 25 years and they applied for a lease from Buganda Land Board in 2001 which owns the land.
They added that they had injected over 200 million shillings from its local revenue for the development of the playground.
As a result on 22nd February 2024 , JBR Suuza on behalf of the Solicitor General wrote to Town Clerk Lydia Nabaasa stating that the town council has an equitable interest in the playground after being in possession for 25 years.
The Solicitor General also noted that the council also had the right to apply for a lease from Buganda Land Board which can consent to the application of the same terms and conditions agreed upon.
Upon receiving the opinion, the town clerk wrote to Luwero District Chief Administrative communicating the Solicitor General’s opinion to him and asking him to hand over the playground to the town council.
On April 4th,2024 Chris Buwembo the LCIII Chairman of Luwero Town Council issued a statement ordering all event managers to stop paying fees to the district to host their activities and instead do so through the town council.
Buwembo added that the district move was intended to grab part of the land at the playground which they condemn and will stop through the repossession of the facility.
However on Wednesday Erastus Kibirango the LCV Chairman of Luwero District has asked the town council to refrain from misleading the residents till an appeal to the Solicitor General is handled.
Kibirango explained that the Solicitor General erred in issuing a legal opinion without listening to the district side which was in possession from 1975 to 2001 when the town registered its interest in the land.
Kibirango added that the district has also passed a budget of 100 million to redevelop the playground for the benefit of the public.
He added that the CAO has already written to Town Clerk Lydia Nabaasa informing her about the petition to the Solicitor General and they shouldn’t repossess the playground till the matter is handled.
Kibirango also accused officials at Luwero town council of being used by other agents to grab the remaining part of the land at the playground.
Last year, a section of veterans also emerged with the land title of 0.475 hectares comprising part of the land gazette for the parking yard of the playground.
The veterans under Luwero United Heroes Development Association donated part of the land to NRM party to construct offices but the move attracted protests from district leaders accusing them of obtaining it through fraudulent transactions.
The NRM secretariat rejected the offer over the concerns and opted for land elsewhere.
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URN
It is such a great relief to have an LC V chairman who is conversant withe the laws of the land
We make a humble request, that those involved with grading roads e.g Kalule Lutete could restrict their activity to the boundaries of the road:, stop destroying other immediate pieces of land including tree cover or draining rain water into private land by the road side
At the moment, this is “Impunity”