Jua kali centre hit by conflicts

Apr 21, 2010

CONSTRUCTION of an vocational centre for training artisans, commonly known as jua kali, in Katwe, Makindye division has stalled because of land conflicts.

By Samuel Balagadde

CONSTRUCTION of an vocational centre for training artisans, commonly known as jua kali, in Katwe, Makindye division has stalled because of land conflicts.

The centre is to be built by the trade and industry ministry. The ministry contracted Coil Construction about two years ago to build the centre. The firm had started work, but residents claiming to be the right owners of part of the land protested, saying it had been fraudulently acquired.

The claimants took the matters to the Administrator General’s office for arbitration. The main claimant, Teddy Namuddu, alleges that the land belonged to their grandfather, the late E. Ssali.

They claim that part of the land where the centre is to be built was fraudulently sold off. The disputed land, in Nakinyuguzi zone in Luwafu, Makindye division, has a residential house and a grave yard.

However, ambassador Julius Onen, the trade and industry ministry permanent secretary, said negotiations between his ministry, the land claimants and the Administrator General were ongoing. “We want to resolve the matter amicably, although it has impacted our plans. We are lucky that the contractor has been lenient.

“Hopefully, the matter will be solved in a short time,” said Onen. He added that other vocational centres to train artisans in modern technology would be rolled out to different parts of the country.

“We have already signed a deal with the Katwe Smallscale Manufacturers to train them,” he said.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});