Cooper Complex wrong for buses â€" Nduhuura

By M. Nalunkuuma and Florence Nakaayi
Local government state minister Richard Nduhuura has said Cooper complex is not suitable for the relocation of the buses, which were displaced from the Baganda Bus Park.
Nduhuura said, “After visiting the Cooper Complex area, I realised it was not suitable for a bus park. The re-location was an arrangement between KCC and the bus operators. But there is a long term plan to locate all bus parks outside the central business district.”
After a three-hour meeting with the Kampala City Council (KCC) and the bus operators at City Hall on Tuesday, Nduhuura said, “The services of the bus park are needed and should not be disrupted.”
KCC spokesman Simon Muhumuza had earlier said the complex, which was between the Old taxi park and St. Balikkudembe Market had been volunteered on condition that the bus owners stick to their schedules. About 40 buses can park at the complex.
But Nduhuura said, “The ministry is going to restore an order to have the park levelled and re-opened temporarily to enable buses to resume business.”
The park was excavated, displacing all the buses and demolishing the Uganda Bus Operators Association premises, after a new developer acquired the land to construct a bus terminal. After the excavation, many buses moved to Namirembe road, causing a jam.
Nduhuura said the bus operators demanded that the developer for the bus terminal gives them two-and-a half years to enable them acquire an alternative location.
The three-week row at the Bus Park had forced mayor John Ssebaana Kizito to halt construction at the park.
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