Entebbe’s grand leisure park
Jan 16, 2008
ENTEBBE Municipality has finalised plans to redevelop Kitoro into a modern trading centre complete with high-rise buildings.
By Gladys Kalibbala
ENTEBBE Municipality has finalised plans to redevelop Kitoro into a modern trading centre complete with high-rise buildings.
The mayor, Stephen Kabuye, said the old Kitoro market will be turned into a modern leisure park, while the market will be transferred to Kiwafu in order to reduce on the congestion currently experienced in the area. He added that it will improve on the hygiene in the highly-populated trading centre.
“Our people in Kitoro lack breathing space as the activities of the market make the entire place crowded and dirty most of the time.†He said the Division B will also get a leisure park.
“Let them get their own place where they can go and relax even when there is no function like those of Division A do at Muzinga Park.â€
The leisure parks in Division A include Muzinga Park, Mayor’s Garden and Children’s Park. The Mayor’s Garden is famous for IDD celebrations and Christmas parties where Kabuye meets residents and celebrates with them.
Kabuye said the leisure park to be established at the old market will be lined by storey buildings. He added that according to the current Municipal authorised plans for buildings, no body will be allowed to put up a non-storey building in the Kitoro centre. He said plans have already been made which will allow the occupants of the big buildings to enjoy a healthy environment without stepping on garbage at their door steps.
The construction of the leisure park according to Kabuye would start anytime this year, while the fate of the market is still unknown as the municipal council is still locked in wrangles over land ownership.
Council had planned a two-storey building for the market, which will have about 250 lock-ups. Kabuye explained that unlike Kajjansi, Baita-Ababiri and Bwebajja markets, which were built with CHOGM funds, Entebbe had to look for money from elsewhere to construct the new market. Council has collected sh200m to commence the project. The market project is estimated at sh3b.
Meanwhile, the construction of Kitoro market at Kiwafu has been delayed following wrangles over land ownership. The old market, which had small kiosks around it, was demolished a year ago and traders to temporary shelters at Kitoro community centre.
Sitting tenants at the proposed land for the market at Kiwafu are claiming rightful ownership of the area comprising five dilapidated council houses.
They have refused to vacate the area despite notices from the municipality. At the same time, council also claims they are the rightful owners of the plot and have all documents concerning ownership of the place.
The Entebbe town clerk, Joseph Kimbowa, recently said the confusion came as a result of the tenants occupying the five homes insisting they should be given first priority of purchase as sitting tenants. “They claim to be the sitting tenants and assert that the plot should be sold to them first but Council is not selling the plots. Council is only redeveloping its area and therefore advised its tenants to go somewhere else,†he said.
A letter from the local government ministry dated November 28, 2007 and signed by VB Sekkono has given Council a go ahead with the redevelopment plans of the area in Kiwafu. Entebbe Municipal officials believe that the transfer of the market to Kiwafu Zone will help clear garbage from the centre of the Municipality.
Entebbe Municipality with a population of 70,000 people with an estimated 16,000 households.
ENTEBBE Municipality has finalised plans to redevelop Kitoro into a modern trading centre complete with high-rise buildings.
The mayor, Stephen Kabuye, said the old Kitoro market will be turned into a modern leisure park, while the market will be transferred to Kiwafu in order to reduce on the congestion currently experienced in the area. He added that it will improve on the hygiene in the highly-populated trading centre.
“Our people in Kitoro lack breathing space as the activities of the market make the entire place crowded and dirty most of the time.†He said the Division B will also get a leisure park.
“Let them get their own place where they can go and relax even when there is no function like those of Division A do at Muzinga Park.â€
The leisure parks in Division A include Muzinga Park, Mayor’s Garden and Children’s Park. The Mayor’s Garden is famous for IDD celebrations and Christmas parties where Kabuye meets residents and celebrates with them.
Kabuye said the leisure park to be established at the old market will be lined by storey buildings. He added that according to the current Municipal authorised plans for buildings, no body will be allowed to put up a non-storey building in the Kitoro centre. He said plans have already been made which will allow the occupants of the big buildings to enjoy a healthy environment without stepping on garbage at their door steps.
The construction of the leisure park according to Kabuye would start anytime this year, while the fate of the market is still unknown as the municipal council is still locked in wrangles over land ownership.
Council had planned a two-storey building for the market, which will have about 250 lock-ups. Kabuye explained that unlike Kajjansi, Baita-Ababiri and Bwebajja markets, which were built with CHOGM funds, Entebbe had to look for money from elsewhere to construct the new market. Council has collected sh200m to commence the project. The market project is estimated at sh3b.
Meanwhile, the construction of Kitoro market at Kiwafu has been delayed following wrangles over land ownership. The old market, which had small kiosks around it, was demolished a year ago and traders to temporary shelters at Kitoro community centre.
Sitting tenants at the proposed land for the market at Kiwafu are claiming rightful ownership of the area comprising five dilapidated council houses.
They have refused to vacate the area despite notices from the municipality. At the same time, council also claims they are the rightful owners of the plot and have all documents concerning ownership of the place.
The Entebbe town clerk, Joseph Kimbowa, recently said the confusion came as a result of the tenants occupying the five homes insisting they should be given first priority of purchase as sitting tenants. “They claim to be the sitting tenants and assert that the plot should be sold to them first but Council is not selling the plots. Council is only redeveloping its area and therefore advised its tenants to go somewhere else,†he said.
A letter from the local government ministry dated November 28, 2007 and signed by VB Sekkono has given Council a go ahead with the redevelopment plans of the area in Kiwafu. Entebbe Municipal officials believe that the transfer of the market to Kiwafu Zone will help clear garbage from the centre of the Municipality.
Entebbe Municipality with a population of 70,000 people with an estimated 16,000 households.