Opposition urges KCCA to protect school land from encroachment

Aug 26, 2014

The Opposition has urged Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to protect school land from encroachment.

By Joyce Namutebi       

The Opposition has urged Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to protect school land from encroachment.

   
This and other several other proposals are contained in the Alternative Ministerial Policy Statement for KCCA that were on Tuesday presented to the Parliamentary committee on presidential affairs by the shadow Minister for Kampala, Angelline Osegge.
   
Osegge, who is the Woman MP for Soroti district, expressed concern about the dilapidated school structures and encroachment on KCCA schools land.
   
She cited Nsambya Primary school as one of the schools whose buildings were condemned by KCCA, but the school has continued to operate in dilapidated structures.
   
She also cited Nakivubo Blue PS and Nakivubo Settlement PS as some of the schools that have issues of land encroachment.
   
“KCCA must come up with specific plans to recover and protect school lands as well as ensuring that dilapidated school infrastructure in the city is cleared in order to protect the lives of our children,” Osegge said.

The opposition also called for decongestion of Kampala city by relocating factories and markets outside the city centre and halting the licensing of fuel stations in the city.
     
Osegge explained that the alternative policy seeks to promote delivery of quality services to the city in a sustainable manner.
   
The Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Act, 2006 requires the Leader of Opposition to study all policy statements of government with his or her shadow ministers and attend committee deliberations on policy issues and give their party’s views and opinions and present possible alternatives.
   
The opposition proposals on “proactive plans” to decongest Kampala city, according to Osegge, include relocating factories to relocate to other towns, building markets and parks outside the city centre, stopping the licensing of fuel stations in the area, affordable mass transport services and building flyovers.

Osegge warned that fuel stations pose danger in case of fire and fuel spillage.
   
When contacted on decongesting the city, the Minister of Information and National Guidance, Rose Namayanja said: “There is nothing new they are proposing. We have thought about this.” She also said that they handle proposals cautiously looking at the resources.
   
She explained that the Northern bypass and the proposed southern bypass are some of those measures taken by government to decongest the city.

“Even where we have markets, they are being constructed to meet standards,” Namayanja explained.
   
Namayanja, for instance, pointed out that along Bombo Road; most of the factories are not situated beyond Matugga.
   
Osegge urged Parliament not to pass the budget estimates for KCCA until the authority comes up with a strategic development plan.
   
On the Office of the Lord Mayor she said: “It is intriguing to know if KCCA is functioning legally as an authority without a Lord Mayor and a deputy. The delays in the court process have, in effect, rendered the council unoperational since no one can convene council meetings.”
   
She said the Minister for Kampala should immediately appoint members of the capital city public accounts committee saying that absence of the committee makes it impossible to establish whether the authority is accountable.
   
She also called for appointment of the Metropolitan Planning Authority. She also criticised the “over centralization” in KCCA saying the executive Director seems to have too much powers.

 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});