Parliament to debate city schools demolition

Feb 04, 2015

Parliament will this afternoon debate a motion about demolition of city schools and subsequent land grab by supposed investors.

By Moses Walubiri and Joyce Namutebi

Parliament will this afternoon debate a motion about demolition of city schools and subsequent land grab by supposed investors.

The motion which according to Speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, will encompass trying to get solutions to public institutions losing land to land grabbers is in response to the recent demolition of Nabagereka primary school.

"One sure way of bridging the gap between the rich and poor in any society is to afford quality education to the poorest of the poor. Nabagereka and other schools in Kampala that are being demolished are meant to provide education to pupils from economically disadvantaged backgrounds," Lwemiyaga County MP, Theodore Ssekikubo said yesterday.

"But we are keeping quiet as this escape route from deprivation is getting closed as more schools in Kampala and its surroundings lose land in unclear circumstances," Ssekikubo added, moving the House to demand immediate action from the executive.

Noami Kabasharira and Emma Boona demanded that Uganda Land Commission ceases to issue land titles to private developers in instances where public institutions stand to lose land.

However, when asked to explain government's position on the demolition of Nabagereka primary school, Minister of Education, Jessica Alupo, chose to play Ping-Pong – throwing the ball to ministry of lands.

"The ministry of lands should tell us who owns the land in question," Alupo said, spawning heated reproach from legislators across the political divide.

Although second deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali "ordered" lands minister to furnish the House with a report about the land in question in seven days, Kadaga counseled that the matter be substantively debated this afternoon.

"This matter has no clear answer. But the rate at which schools are being demolished requires a holistic investigation," Kadaga said.

Located in Mengo-Kisenyi, a Kampala suburb, Nabagereka primary school had 1443 pupils and 22 teachers.

Its demolition has come in the wake of earlier demolition and shifting of Shimoni Primary school and City High School losing part of its play ground to a private developer.

Related

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Govt protests school demolition

Investor demolishes Kampala School

 

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