Hoima authorities demolish structures
Dec 31, 2008
HOIMA district authorities in Hoima on Monday morning demolished kiosks near the central market in an exercise to rid the town of illegal structures.
By Pascal Kwesiga
HOIMA district authorities in Hoima on Monday morning demolished kiosks near the central market in an exercise to rid the town of illegal structures.
The team of town council law enforcers led by the Mayor, Francis Atugonza, and the acting town clerk, Amir Nsamo, demolished several containers, and make-shift structures in the market yard.
Most of the structures were stocked with radio sets, mobile phone and their accessories, cosmetics and other merchandise.
Anti-riot Police and several armed special Police constables were deployed to prevent riots after traders accused the mayor of destroying their sources of income.
“We are poor people who are paying school fees for our children from these small businesses. Why have you chosen to make life hard for us?†an irate trader, only identified as Yunusu, asked.
Atugonza then retaliated: “Nobody in their right mind can put up business in make-shift houses when there are good empty ones in the town.â€
“Are you telling me you acquired loans to put up these illegal structures with out consulting me?†he asked.
“How can you invest in funny business if you are not stupid? Were are going to pull down every structures that is deemed illegal here,†Atugonza added
The goods of traders who refused to evacuate before demolition were loaded on to trucks and taken to the council headquarters.
The traders said they had been operating in the market yard for seven years and were paying rent to the town council. “I was allowed to operate here by Hoima town council, which was headed by the former mayor David Kaboyo and I paid rent,†Godfrey Ayesiga, a trader, said.
“I have been getting money from the bank to boost my business, I now owe the bank lots of money and if I donot pay, I will be taken to prison,†he lamented.
The mayor Francis Atugonza, is the chief mobliser of Uganda’s main opposition political party Forum for Democratic Change(FDC) in Bunyoro.
However, he said the move to demolish the structures was aimed at paving for way President Museveni’s programme to reconstruct Hoima Central Market.
“You have heard that the President wants to reconstruct this market. I have got letters from his office instructing me to do what I am doing,†Atugonza said.
“I have been accused of sabotaging government programmes because I belong to FDC. Now the Government has come up with a programme to rid the town of illegal structures and I do not want to be abused any more, †Atugonza added.
He said the yard on which the illegal structures were built would be used as a parking lot.
HOIMA district authorities in Hoima on Monday morning demolished kiosks near the central market in an exercise to rid the town of illegal structures.
The team of town council law enforcers led by the Mayor, Francis Atugonza, and the acting town clerk, Amir Nsamo, demolished several containers, and make-shift structures in the market yard.
Most of the structures were stocked with radio sets, mobile phone and their accessories, cosmetics and other merchandise.
Anti-riot Police and several armed special Police constables were deployed to prevent riots after traders accused the mayor of destroying their sources of income.
“We are poor people who are paying school fees for our children from these small businesses. Why have you chosen to make life hard for us?†an irate trader, only identified as Yunusu, asked.
Atugonza then retaliated: “Nobody in their right mind can put up business in make-shift houses when there are good empty ones in the town.â€
“Are you telling me you acquired loans to put up these illegal structures with out consulting me?†he asked.
“How can you invest in funny business if you are not stupid? Were are going to pull down every structures that is deemed illegal here,†Atugonza added
The goods of traders who refused to evacuate before demolition were loaded on to trucks and taken to the council headquarters.
The traders said they had been operating in the market yard for seven years and were paying rent to the town council. “I was allowed to operate here by Hoima town council, which was headed by the former mayor David Kaboyo and I paid rent,†Godfrey Ayesiga, a trader, said.
“I have been getting money from the bank to boost my business, I now owe the bank lots of money and if I donot pay, I will be taken to prison,†he lamented.
The mayor Francis Atugonza, is the chief mobliser of Uganda’s main opposition political party Forum for Democratic Change(FDC) in Bunyoro.
However, he said the move to demolish the structures was aimed at paving for way President Museveni’s programme to reconstruct Hoima Central Market.
“You have heard that the President wants to reconstruct this market. I have got letters from his office instructing me to do what I am doing,†Atugonza said.
“I have been accused of sabotaging government programmes because I belong to FDC. Now the Government has come up with a programme to rid the town of illegal structures and I do not want to be abused any more, †Atugonza added.
He said the yard on which the illegal structures were built would be used as a parking lot.