The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Wakiso, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have used teargas to disperse residents of Kasokoso in Kira Municipality in Wakiso district. They had gathered for consultative meetings with local leaders over the pending evictions by NEMA.
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago together with other political leaders from Kampala and Wakiso districts were attending a meeting co-hosted by the area MP Ssemujju Nganda and Nakawa East MP, Ronald Balimwezo.
However, the Uganda Police Force and the UPDF deployed the military at the venue where the meeting was to be held. The police claimed that they were not aware of it.
Ssemujju and other local leaders who attempted to resist were bundled on the patrol and driven back to their respective homes. The police engaged in running battles with residents resulting in some arrests.
Ssemujju explained some of the key issues that were meant to be discussed including the compensation process of the Kampala-Jinja Express Highway, Kireka police barracks land wrangle, and the eviction threats by the National Environment Authority.
“This was a consultative meeting to listen to people, one of the issues they have about the police barracks land, where some people are still being evicted with no clear demarcations of barracks land. The second issue is on Jinja Express Highway, people were told not to develop their land fourteen years ago, but they haven’t been compensated. People are living a miserable life,” Ssemuju said.
He added “Another issue was about NEMA, in their mind, they think every low-land is a wetland. We want the gazette to understand the demarcations of these wetlands so that our people can be helped. Unfortunately, the security has denied us from sitting down with our people and finding a solution, “Ssemujju said before he was bundled on Police Patrol and driven back to his home.
The angry residents who condemned the impunity actions by security have called NEMA to explain the difference between a wetland and a lowland area, which they claim to be settling on.
Last month President Museveni backed NEMA’s wetland evictions and urged those who have settled in the wetland to voluntarily vacate than playing blame games.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, said the leader’s message to the locals was calling them to come and demonstrate, which police couldn’t be allowed in the area.
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