KCCA petitions court over Ntinda Market
Sep 08, 2011
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) yesterday petitioned the High Court in Kampala to include it as a defendant in the case where the Government was sued by owners of New Ntinda Market.
BY ANDANTE OKANYA
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) yesterday petitioned the High Court in Kampala to include it as a defendant in the case where the Government was sued by owners of New Ntinda Market.
The case is in relation to a judicial review application by the New Ntinda Market Owners’ Co-operative Society.
The group queried the revoking of its lease on the land on which the market sits. Judicial review is conducted by the High Court in relation to proceedings plus decisions taken by subordinate courts and inferior tribunals or bodies.
In the main case filed on February 14, this year, the owners also sued the Uganda Land Commission and the commissioner for land registration.
The contested land is located on Plot 185-189 on Semawata Road in Ntinda, a city suburb.
Construction of the market started in 1992 and was completed in 1996. It houses grocery shops, pubs, restaurants, food stalls and a health club.
In its application, KCCA argues that the outcome of the case will affect its control of the market. The application was filed through Sendege, Senyondo and Company Advocates.
The application is supported by an affidavit from the authority’s executive director Jennifer Semakula Musisi.
She contends that the city authority is a body empowered by law to establish and control markets in Kampala.
The market owners want court to quash the land commission’s decision to revoke their lease offer when the land was allocated to the defunct Kampala City Council.
According to court documents, the co-operative society applied to the land commission for a lease and received an unconditional formal lease offer on November 2, 2009. The offer was, however, revoked on December 16 last year.
The society contends that it has suffered immense financial consequences as a result of the actions of those sued.
The market owners say having occupied the land for 18 years, it cannot be allocated to any other entity without giving them first priority.
Court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of KCCA’s application.
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) yesterday petitioned the High Court in Kampala to include it as a defendant in the case where the Government was sued by owners of New Ntinda Market.
The case is in relation to a judicial review application by the New Ntinda Market Owners’ Co-operative Society.
The group queried the revoking of its lease on the land on which the market sits. Judicial review is conducted by the High Court in relation to proceedings plus decisions taken by subordinate courts and inferior tribunals or bodies.
In the main case filed on February 14, this year, the owners also sued the Uganda Land Commission and the commissioner for land registration.
The contested land is located on Plot 185-189 on Semawata Road in Ntinda, a city suburb.
Construction of the market started in 1992 and was completed in 1996. It houses grocery shops, pubs, restaurants, food stalls and a health club.
In its application, KCCA argues that the outcome of the case will affect its control of the market. The application was filed through Sendege, Senyondo and Company Advocates.
The application is supported by an affidavit from the authority’s executive director Jennifer Semakula Musisi.
She contends that the city authority is a body empowered by law to establish and control markets in Kampala.
The market owners want court to quash the land commission’s decision to revoke their lease offer when the land was allocated to the defunct Kampala City Council.
According to court documents, the co-operative society applied to the land commission for a lease and received an unconditional formal lease offer on November 2, 2009. The offer was, however, revoked on December 16 last year.
The society contends that it has suffered immense financial consequences as a result of the actions of those sued.
The market owners say having occupied the land for 18 years, it cannot be allocated to any other entity without giving them first priority.
Court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of KCCA’s application.