Kadaga wants government to explain Park Yard eviction

Feb 28, 2017

Police sealed off the market on Monday, before the demolition of the stalls

Former Park Yard traders erecting stalls at Discount Mall along Kafumbe Mukasa Road where they were relocated. Photo by Meddie Musisi

Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has tasked government for an explanation of the manner in which traders from Park Yard Market have been evicted.

Traders were on Monday left stranded after the market adjacent to Nakivubo Stadium was demolished.

"I request for the Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa for government's explanation for the ruthless act of evicting the traders. Tomorrow the house will debate the issue" Kadaga said in Parliament before the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) elections got underway.

Park Yard was the parking space for Nakivubo Stadium. But later, it was turned into a market with makeshift structures. The market was gutted by fire twice.

According to the traders, the Police sealed off the market at 2:00am on Monday, before the demolition of the stalls.

 

 partial view of akivubo tadium that sealed off on uesday morning hoto by eddie usisiA partial view of Nakivubo Stadium that sealed off on Tuesday morning. Photo by Meddie Musisi

 

Police then ordered every trader who reported for work to pick his or her merchandise and leave. No explanation was given. Yesterday at 8:00am, the demolition exercise started.

Nakivubo Stadium on Tuesday morning was also fenced off for redevelopment, leaving an atmosphere of confusion and uncertainty among football fans and traders alike.

A Uganda Premier League match that had been slated for Tuesday afternoon between Police FC and Onduparaka FC remains in doubt.

The Kampala Metropolitan regional Police commander, Frank Mwesigwa, said the Police were only called in by the Nakivubo Stadium management to oversee the exercise.

He said on Sunday evening, the Nakivubo Stadium managers held a meeting with some traders during which the traders were given an opportunity to vacate peacefully with their merchandise.

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