President's office directs on National Library land

Feb 17, 2020

The NLU director, Adonia Katungisa said that government had originally allocated them two-acres of land in the estate but it was taken away and given to an investor.

KAMPALA - The Office of the President has directed the ministry of lands, housing and urban development to issue a title for a two-acre piece of land for the construction of a National Library out of the land formerly planned for the establishment of a modern mini satellite city at the Nakawa-Naguru Housing Estate.

The move followed the failure by the investor to implement the proposed multibillion satellite city project of prime land in Nakawa Division, Kampala city, originally occupied by former government workers.  

Government recently announced that it had decided to reclaim the land after the contracted investor, Opec Prime Properties Uganda Ltd, failed to develop the area into a mini satellite city.

 ender minister rank umwebaze  talking to he head of technical services at the ational ibrary of ganda center at uganda oad aniel sinde hoto by ddie sejjoba Gender minister, Frank Tumwebaze (R) talking to the head of technical services at the National Library of Uganda centre at Buganda Road, Daniel Osinde. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

 
The satellite city project, sitting on 66 hectares (162 acres) was to be implemented within ten years, starting with 1,747 subsidized residential flat units for purchase by the registered former tenants on a first-priority basis.

In a letter signed by Alfred Oyo Andima, secretary office of the President and copied to the permanent secretaries of the ministries of gender, labour and social development and that of lands, housing and urban development, indicated that the issue had been concluded.

Andima in the letter, seen by the New Vision, indicated that he had directed the lands ministry to issue the title to National Library Uganda (NLU).

The NLU director, Adonia Katungisa said that government had originally allocated them two-acres of land in the estate but it was taken away and given to an investor, but upon failure for the project to take off, they decided to reclaim it.  

He said that NLU, which also serves as a national heritage documentation centre currently pays rent of sh10.8m per month to the Patidan Samaj, a community of Indians living in Uganda to accommodate the National Library. He said the place was also being utilized by the community for their community functions, sometimes creating an unconducive environment for reading to the members of the public. 

 ellen uyombaleft head of information and reference services and tella ekuusa a enior rincipal ibrarian showing gender minister rank umwebaze a copy of the ganda erald newspaperhoto by ddie sejjoba Hellen Muyomba(left), head of information and reference services and Stella Nekuusa, a Senior Principal Librarian showing gender minister, Frank Tumwebaze a copy of the Uganda Herald newspaper.Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba

 
Katungisa last week briefed the newly appointed gender minister, Frank Tumwebaze who toured the Library located opposite Buganda Road Primary School in Kampala.

Tumwebaze, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, James Ebitu was concerned that the ‘National Heritage Center' was accommodated in dilapidated and outdated premises after he found vital documents published as far back as 1947 were being preserved and exposed to the awkward environment.

He was concerned that most of the documents, including bound national newspapers like Uganda Argus, were coated with dust and scattered with no modern systems of preservation.

The minister also put to task the staff to explain why for a long time they had never raised the matter to the ministry for action.

 aniel sinde  hands over a copy of some of the books kept the national heritage to the minister of gender labor and social development rank umwebazehoto by hoto by ddie sejjoba Daniel Osinde (R) hands over a copy of some of the books kept the national heritage to the minister of gender, labor and social development, Frank Tumwebaze. (Photo by Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)

 
Tumwebaze was also concerned that despite their mandate, NLU did not have a policy guideline to regulate the publication of books and other reading materials, which he said put the public to the risk of consuming ‘unwanted' material. 

He said the policy will also guide on how the local government units are supposed to regulate establishment of both public and private libraries.

Tumwebaze also told Katungisa to work out a process of a draft policy and pursue the matter of establishing a permanent home, saying he was going to table the matter to the cabinet for debate and possible funding for a new home.

"This is a discipline that must not be allowed to die, we must revive the National Library and streamline the management of other libraries across the country, both government and private basing on a legal framework," he said, adding that the revival would rekindle the low reading culture amongst Ugandans. 

The country has 42 operational public libraries and over 100 community libraries operating under the ministry of gender.

 

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