Mr. Chadiha,What is remarkable about this episode is the complete abscence of due process. How come Mr. Nyakaana was not taken to a court of law before his investment was so blithely destroyed? Does Mr. Nyakaana have recourse to legal redress of his losses or does the law of the jungle apply in Uganda today? Is anyone responsible for this crime?Is this a safe environment for anyone to invest in the real estate sector or any other sector in Uganda, if a Councillor's investment can be destroyed with such impunity?here are photos of the demolition from the New Vision (1st foto) Monitor (last 2 fotos):![]()
TREACHEROUS EQUIPMENT: Policemen look on helplessly as bulldozers failed to bring down Kampala councillor Nyakaana�s house yesterday
DEMOLITION JOB: Bulldozers demolishing the house (Photo by James Akena)
YOU SEE: Nyakaana talks to builders and supporters at his site in Bugolobi yesterday.
Jonathan Chadiha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Nyakaana shot, house demolished
By Solomon Muyita, Emma Mutaizibwa & Jane Nafula
Jan 8, 2005
BUGOLOBI � Heavy gunfire yesterday rocked Bugolobi, a
Kampala suburb, as the police battled angry residents
protesting the demolition of city councillor and
former international boxer, Mr Godfrey Nyakaana�s
multi-million bungalow built in a wetland.
Eyewitnesses said that in the ensuing clash, the
police shot Nyakaana in the arm. But police said
Nyakaana was injured in the scuffle and they were not
sure whether the injury was caused by a bullet. They
said they were investigating the cause.
Nyakaana�s storeyed house was pulled down by the
National Environment Management Authority (Nema) as
angry residents beat up a policeman into coma and
injured several others.
YOU SEE: Nyakaana talks to builders and supporters at
his site in Bugolobi yesterday.
Several residents were also injured in the running
battles with the police.
Another group of angry residents siphoned petrol from
a motorcycle and burnt a Nema double cabin pick-up
truck Reg. No. UAA 563E.
This provoked the police to open fire at the
residents. The mob tore apart the trousers of Jinja
Road Police commander, Mr Wilson Kwanya.
Over 100 policemen oversaw the demolition. At least 12
police patrol cars were deployed at the scene.
About 50 anti-riot policemen fired teargas canisters
in the air for over 40 minutes, sending residents of
the swampy Bungalow III Zone and its neighbourhood
scampering for safety.
The Police Officer in charge of Serious Crime, Mr
Edison Mbiringi, told The Monitor that Nyakaana had
filed a case at CID headquarters yesterday.
He said they CID was investigating how Nyakaana got
injured.
On Thursday Nema tried to raze the house, but Nyakaana
and the residents resisted.
The bulldozers, which had been deployed to raze the
house, too reportedly broke down and frustrated the
demolition on Thursday.
Last year, Nema stopped Nyakaana from constructing the
house, saying the plot was in the Nakivubo wetland,
which separates Kampala city from Lake Victoria.
DEMOLITION JOB: bulldozers demolishing the house
(Photos by James Akena)
Nema says the wetland is a natural filter for
wastewater before it drains into the lake and any
construction on it would be an environmental hazard.
About an hour before the demolition started yesterday,
Nyakaana alleged that Nema targeted only his house
because he had declined to bribe its officials.
He said he invested over Shs300 million in grading the
plot in the swamp and constructing the house.
He said most of his neighbours had given bribes to
Nema to secure clearance to build their houses there.
Ny akaana alleged that Nema�s soil and aquatic
specialist Mr George Lubega, demanded a Shs4 million
bribe from him to get clearance. But Lubega dismissed
Nyakaana�s allegation.
�Nyakaana only called me yesterday (Thursday) and was
telling me that I was witch-hunting him. I have never
met him nor asked for a bribe...I think the police can
ably investigate that,� Lubega said.
Nyakaana said he bought the land from Kampala District
Land Board in 2003 and obtained a title deed from the
Ministry of Lands in October the same year.
�My housing plan was approved by Kampala City Council
in January 2004 and I started constructing in February
2004,� Nyakaana said.
He said that upoin approval of construction plan by
KCC, he started building.
�Now I wonder why Nema comes to me and it does not go
to the people who issued me with the land title or
approved my building plan,� he said.
Nyakaana said had instructed his lawyers to fi le a
civil suit in court.
� 2005 The Monitor Publications.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East African | About Us | Feedback | Site Map |
License | Monitor
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UNAANET/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we.
_______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list [email protected] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
