Centenary Park tenants plead with KCCA for more time

Sep 24, 2012

Centenary Park tenants have appealed to Kampala Capital City Authority to halt the planned eviction and demolition of their bars and structures.

By Esther Namirimu

Centenary Park tenants  have appealed to Kampala Capital City Authority to halt the planned eviction and demolition of their bars and structures.

In a letter dated September 20, 2012, the tenants said they should be left to continue with their businesses until a tenancy agreement they signed with the managers of the park expires.

The agreement the tenants signed with Nalongo Estates Ltd is expected to expire in four years. Over 20 buildings, most of them restaurants, are likely to be affected in an exercise starting October 1,

In May 2006, KCC entered into a management agreement with the Nalongo Estates to develop, use and maintain Centenary Park as a recreational park and bridal garden.

On June 28, 20012 , KCCA executive director Jennifer Musisi wrote to Sarah Kizito, the proprietor of Nalongo Estates Ltd, asking them to vacate the area within three month for breaching an agreement not to erect permanent structures in the area.

 “We have provided you with a copy of the management agreement between Nalongo Estates (our landlord) and KCCA, as well as the memorandum of understanding which states that our landlord still has four years left as manager of the plots,” the tenants said in the letter copied to Uganda Investment Authority and the IGG.

“We were given a copy of the same documents upon signing our tenancy agreements and based our investments on these documents. Our tenancy agreements with Nalongo estates also run for the same period and given KCCA’s intention to demolish the structures where our businesses stand; that would prove to be very detrimental to us being that we have made considerable investments in our businesses.”

The park, measuring about three acres, is one of the few remaining green belts in Kampala, after similar plots were either redeveloped or allocated for private investments.

According to the 10-year agreement, the developer had to ensure that no other permanent structure was constructed in the park.

Construction of facilities such as a swimming pool, store, offices, flush toilets, walkways and a tennis court were to be subject to environment impact assessment.

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