Old Taxi Park traders face eviction

By Juliet Waiswa

KAMPALA Capital City Authority (KCCA) has given owners of kiosks operating in the Old Park an ultimatum of 28 days to clear the area or least they face an eviction.

The traders who set up illegal structures inside and outside the park were served a notice by the physical planning department of KCCA. The structures include lock- ups, wooden structures, mobile phone stalls and eateries among others.

Several traders dealing in eateries, clothes, telephone accessories, used clothes and shoes are going to be affected in the move which is expected to be carried out at the end of this month.

According to the notice signed by the building inspector who is also the physical planner Kampala Central, the owners of the structures set them up without a proper plan and approval from the KCCA directorate of physical planning.

The notice reads, “In accordance with section 72(1) of the Public Health Act cap 281 which states that in the event of contravention of the any of the Public Health rules related to the erection of buildings the local authority without prejudice has the right to take proceedings for a fine in respect of the contravention and may by notice require the owner either to pull down or remove the works.”

The owners of the structures were therefore notified, “You are therefore to remove all the works undertaken in breach of the Act and the rules enacted thereunder on”.

The letter dated 29 September States that failure to comply with the notice shall result in KCCA pulling down and or removing the works in question at the owners ‘costs.

Some of the owners of the kiosks, the New Vision spoke to say that KCCA has a plan of forcefully taking them to Usafi market against their will, they says that KCCA should first prepare the a new place to relocate.

“KCCA has failed to get traders to occupy USAFI market, now they are forcing us out of the park. But we also want to know what plans they have for us,” one of the kiosk owners stated.

Other kioks owner said they had received a notice from KCCA and are preparing ourselves to move. “Once KCCA gives a notice they will wake up and demolish. The best thing to do is to relocate our business,” some of the affected victims said.

Recently KCCA executive director Jennifer Musisi announced plans by KCCA to redevelop the Old taxi park and set it on a better standard.

She said it is one of the five year plan for the city.  KCCA is proposing to enter into Public Private Partnerships to construct modern public transport terminals with multi-storied parking facilities in the City as a strategy for decongesting the narrow city roads.

She added that “In the next five years, KCCA is planning to re- develop the Old Taxi Park, Usafi Park and the New Taxi Park into modern public transport terminals and a number of carefully selected places into multi-storeyed parking facilities.”