Ndeeba youth unite to clear demolished church site

Sep 04, 2020

The 40-year-old church was demolished on Sunday, August 9. The incident is linked to  businessman Dodoviko Mwanje alias Dodo.

CHURCH DEMOLITION|ST PETER'S CHURCH NDEEBA

The youth from St. Peter's Church, Ndeeba have mobilised their colleagues to expedite the clearance of debris from the site where the church was demolished in the city suburb, last month. The action of the youth is in anticipation of construction of another structure.

The group, led by Erick Lyazi, the youth chairperson and Viola Namagembe, the acting secretary of the reconstruction committee, said they were excited by President Yoweri Museveni's visit last month, when he promised to ensure that the church is reconstructed.

The 40-year-old church was demolished on Sunday, August 9, this year. It is alleged that businessman Dodoviko Mwanje alias Dodo hired graders and a group of youth from Kisenyi to demolish the church, together with other structures at the site, which included the old church and a nursery school building.

The demolition was effected between 11:00pm and 4:00am. The incident followed a court battle between Mwanje and the Church community over the land. The Church insists that they acquired the land from the late Princess Evelyn Nacwa, a daughter of former Buganda king Daudi Chwa.

When Museveni visited the site, he also tasked the anti-corruption unit of the State House, led by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema with ensuring that whoever was involved was held accountable.

Consequently, several senior Police officers and the acting director of physical planning at the Kampala Capital City Authority, Ivan Katongole, were arrested, produced in court and remanded, together with 11 other suspects picked at the site.

Mwanje, too, who responded to the court criminal summons was charged and remanded to Kitalya prisons. Lyazi said the Church youth committee that recently met at the site vowed to mobilise their colleagues to work in shifts, to clear the site in the shortest time possible.

He said they wanted to ensure that by the time the President decides to implement his promise, the place is ready for construction. The Christians were also looking forward to using the site once the President lifts the lockdown on worship places.

Lyazi said they had acquired tents, which they will use as shelter to worship and gather once the ban on Church gatherings is lifted.  "Many youth have responded to our call and they come here in the morning and evening, depending on their work schedules. They have all been inspired by the Holy Spirit and the love of Jesus. They work with enthusiasm to ensure the Church stands again," he said.

Lyazi explained that working with Patrick Wakkoonyi, one of the leaders in the church, they mobilised some money from Christians and bought iron sheets, which they used to fence off the site, leaving walkways for people fetching water from the Buganda Kingdom cultural spring and access to a washing bay.

He said they were also encouraged after the lands ministry sent a team of surveyors last week who opened the land, saying it was one of the indicators that something serious was in the offing. Namagembe, who owns a salon at Nateete, a city suburb, said she had been saddened by the demolition of their church, but she recovered from the shock when the President intervened.

Namagembe was also tasked with another role of recording all the items recovered and any assistance from well-wishers.

Wakkoonyi said the main task now was to clear the site, but that they were also sorting out items that would be used again in the reconstruction to cut on costs. He said other elders had also worked alongside the youth to clear the site.

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