Rubaga leaders want railway evictees compensated

Aug 10, 2014

RUBAGA division leaders have urged the KCCA to ensure locals affected in the recent railway line reserve land evictions are compensated

By Andrew Ssenyonga and Juliet Waiswa

RUBAGA division leaders have urged the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to ensure locals affected in the recent railway line reserve land evictions are compensated for the property lost during the exercise.

Led by Rubaga South MP John Ken Lukyamuzi and Ndeeba II parish NRM Chairman Fred Kazibwe, the leaders said they have received a number of reports from the people who suffered the night of the forceful eviction exercise, that their property and merchandise was destroyed and lost.

“Many people have recently flocked my residence seeking for help, they made complaints that their property and goods were destroyed during the KCCA eviction exercise held at night,” Lukyamuzi said.

Over 500 affected people, who converged at Ndeeba Market to speak to their leaders over the matter, told them that they are still stranded after their makeshift shelters were brought down by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) and the Rift Valley Railway (RVR) as they await government intervention.

This comes barely after two weeks after a number of encroachers were forced out of the railway reserve after numerous orders to vacate were snubbed.

The evictees are now crying foul saying that the eviction exercise was carried out at night which is contrary to the laws governing the country.

Lukyamuzi said they condemn the manner in which KCCA evicted the railway reserve settlers leaving them stranded. He however assured women groups and disabled persons of his support through donors. He told leaders to register all these groups and their issues will be addressed.

He noted that the eviction was necessary but the method used was inappropriate adding that the action could not have taken place on the eve of Eid when people were in celebratory mood.

“We are not opposed to the eviction and KCCA’s plans of cleaning the city but our concern is that the way people were evicted was not proper. You cannot expect people to celebrate while weeping.

People’s properties were destroyed without giving them enough time to figure out where to take them and when you move around, many are still stuck on streets and city suburbs with nowhere to go,” Lukyamuzi said.

Resty Nansubuga a victim as said, “I have spent over 30 years, other people were born and married in the very place cannot be given 28 days to shift from their current residence to somewhere else.”

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