Over 4000 traders evicted from Umoja veteran market

By Juliet Waiswa                           

Vendors operating in Umoja Market on Monday faced eviction following a Court Order in which John Bosco Muwonge and nine others claimed repossession of their property.

In the High Court Civil Suit No-273 and Miscellaneous application no 416 of 2014 filed at Civil Division Kampala, the applicants Rodgers Kyamaga, Bashir Kamanzi, Titus Kiwanuka, Umar Kyejjusa , Meddie Ibanda, Ibrahim Ssemanda, said Ssentongo, Umoja Veterans and Vendors and John Bosco Muwonge, were given an order to evict all occupants on the land.

The respondents Bruham Muteguya, Sula Matovu, John Banuzibire, James Mutyaba and Haruna Ssendawula had dragged Muwonge and others to court demanding compensation, which Muwonge had already cleared.

The Court order signed by the Registrar Bailiffs and executions division dated October 3 states, “You are hereby ordered to put the said applicant as aforesaid in possession of the said premises by way of eviction.  His agents, servants occupying the said premises in contravention of the law and Court orders.

“These are to command you to arrest the respondent who tries to disrupt this lawful execution and bring them to this honorable court with all convenient and show cause why they should not be committed to civil for contempt of  Court Orders.”

Court Bailiffs in an early morning eviction threw out over 4,000 traders dealing mainly in fresh foods. Muwonge's move comes after several complaints from different traders who were demanding to be compensated yet he (Muwonge) had compensated all the occupants of the market.

The area LCI chairman, Ganga Nsubuga, said the eviction came as a result of different veteran groups claiming compensation from the proprietor of plot M889, Volume 447 Folio 11 at Kafumbe Mukasa road.

Nsubuga explained that the owner of the said plots compensated the two groups of veterans yet another group came up demanding to also be compensated. This forced the owner to file a suit in which all the occupants of the market were to vacate as per the Court order.  

The vendors however argued the time was limited. They said the owner of the plot had promised to move the traders next year.