Reverse Kampala land allocations
Feb 08, 2006
THE Commission of Inquiry into the sale, lease and purchase of land in Kampala has produced a report that indicts officials of abuse of office. The report says Kampala City Council and other public officers have been corrupt in handling wetlands, land reserves, roads, sewer lines, drainage channels,
THE Commission of Inquiry into the sale, lease and purchase of land in Kampala has produced a report that indicts officials of abuse of office. The report says Kampala City Council and other public officers have been corrupt in handling wetlands, land reserves, roads, sewer lines, drainage channels, parks and open spaces, as well as school land.
The commission also established that many of KCC's decisions, like the redevelopment of the Old Taxi Park and Nakasero Market are politically motivated. It found that tender and procurement regulations are flouted openly, and that a mafia of unscrupulous businessmen colludes with City Council officials to monopolise major tenders.
The report says that a political group is at loggerheads with the central government; that there is no political will to enforce urban development control; that KCC lacks the technical and financial capacity to develop the city; and that multiple land tenure systems and administrative agencies hinder development. It refers to land-grabbing of Wild West proportions.
This is alarming, yet not surprising (a complicit company found at the centre of grabbing road reserves goes by the bizarre name Nterenfune, Luganda for “I should acquire quicklyâ€). A casual glance around the city shows a fast recession of green spaces, haphazard construction, environmental hazards, and increased temperatures, which make a mockery of what has been in place for over 100 years for a well-planned city.
The commission recommends, among other things, the implementation of the Kampala structural master plan, re-organisation of the land registry, the establishment of the Kampala Metropolitan Authority or Corporation, compliance with building byelaws and environmental statutes, and scrupulous use of professional opinion.
These are all excellent recommendations that should be carried out without fear or favour. But before implementation takes place, for it could take a long time, all wrong land allocations should be stopped promptly and any developments halted using whatever legal recourse there is as we seek to save our city from greed for this and future generations.
The commission also established that many of KCC's decisions, like the redevelopment of the Old Taxi Park and Nakasero Market are politically motivated. It found that tender and procurement regulations are flouted openly, and that a mafia of unscrupulous businessmen colludes with City Council officials to monopolise major tenders.
The report says that a political group is at loggerheads with the central government; that there is no political will to enforce urban development control; that KCC lacks the technical and financial capacity to develop the city; and that multiple land tenure systems and administrative agencies hinder development. It refers to land-grabbing of Wild West proportions.
This is alarming, yet not surprising (a complicit company found at the centre of grabbing road reserves goes by the bizarre name Nterenfune, Luganda for “I should acquire quicklyâ€). A casual glance around the city shows a fast recession of green spaces, haphazard construction, environmental hazards, and increased temperatures, which make a mockery of what has been in place for over 100 years for a well-planned city.
The commission recommends, among other things, the implementation of the Kampala structural master plan, re-organisation of the land registry, the establishment of the Kampala Metropolitan Authority or Corporation, compliance with building byelaws and environmental statutes, and scrupulous use of professional opinion.
These are all excellent recommendations that should be carried out without fear or favour. But before implementation takes place, for it could take a long time, all wrong land allocations should be stopped promptly and any developments halted using whatever legal recourse there is as we seek to save our city from greed for this and future generations.