Kadaga warns leaders against selling off green spaces

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has warned Tororo district leaders against selling off green spaces in the town saying the law will catch up with them.

Kadaga sounded warning today while addressing a gathering that turned up to grace a victory party for the Tororo Municipality Member of Parliament Apollo Yeri at Children's Park in Tororo town.

"I have been informed that this victory party has been organized at Children's Park. I now sound a warning to the district leadership not to attempt and sell off such open and green spaces," Kadaga said.

"Leaders in Tororo should not act like leaders in Kampala who have sold off all open and green spaces in the city to developers to construct industries and factories of which others are idle and failed to give employment to Ugandans," Kadaga said.

She noted that several districts and municipalities have sold off open spaces to developers, adding that currently some birds in municipalities fail to find where to land and rest.

Kadaga was escorted by over twenty MPs who turned up to grace the party organized by Yeri.

Others in attendance included religious leaders, local council chairmen, and cultural leaders and voters in Tororo who were treated to a feast.

Kadaga also warned other district leaders against wetland encroachment and land grabbing, adding that it has now become common game for district leaders and developers to steal government land.

She however also appealed to district leaders to put up a spirited effort to plant trees and avoid deforestation.

"I used a chopper to come to Tororo but while in the air the ground was very clear and this is sign people have cut more trees than they are able to replace them," Kadaga said.

"We as leaders should spread the gospel of forestation as a way of protecting our land and fighting climatic change," she added.

Kadaga also pledged to use her office to lobby government to look for money to construct a modern market for the people of Tororo, adding that the current market is too small to accommodate the ever increasing number of vendors.

"Tororo is located at the border so there is need to have a modern market to match the international standards," Kadaga said.

She was responding to requests made by Yeri and she also hailed the people of Tororo for voting President Yoweri Museveni and NRM candidates to represent them in parliament.

Yeri thanked the people of Tororo Municipality for voting him, adding that they will never regret the choice they made.

Yeri appealed to the people of Tororo to remain unity and focused, adding that politics is over and it's now time for working to eradicate poverty in their households.

"We should now forget what happened and welcome our opponents to make a team that will see poverty history in Tororo. We do not need to fight each other but embrace those still doubting our victory," Yeri said.

He appealed to Kadaga to support him in his effort to see Tororo Hospital upgraded to a referral hospital, adding that Mbale is very far since they are located at the border.

He also appealed to Kadaga to spearhead the reconciliation process between him and rival Sanjay Tana.