I HAVE NEVER GOT TO TERMS WITH THOSE WHO SAY UGANDA PEASANTS SHOULD OWN MARKETS

Time will tell whether there is any leader who does not eventually conflict with Museveni given the way Museveni wants something done as opposed to how things should technically be done. it will be unfortunate when Museveni gets to undo what Jennifer Musisi has courageously done; the mess by Museveni as he gunned for votes hence creating the chaos as well as the failure in prioritization which has led to many being jobless, not forgetting the failure of Government to get involved in giving the right direction in areas and sectors that generate wealth, instead he has prioritized the patronage where some individuals and companies have got free Government jobs and for some useless jobs created to keep them supporting the NRM. Regarding the markets, the Government of Uganda should gazette land for market development, then identify the money to develop them and only raise dues from the ventures. the business of deceiving people that they own market land when a few rich people are brought in is simply hoodwinking our already impoverished people. William Kituuka Kiwanuka MUSEVENI TELLS KCCA OFF OWINO

Vendors at St. Balikudembe Market wait for customers last week. Photo by Faiswal Kasirye. By Robert mwanje Posted Wednesday, May 23 2012 at 00:24 In Summary Presidential mouthpiece Tamale Mirundi accuses city chief of delaying boss’ directives. President Museveni yesterday backed Kampala District Land Board’s (KDLB) decision to give the Owino (St. Balikuddembe) Market land lease to the vendors but accused the city authority of delaying the process. Sources who attended the hastily convened meeting between the ministry of Lands, KDLB and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials and chaired by the State Minister for Lands, Ms Sarah Opendi, said “the President demanded a quick reaction over the market lease”. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Lands headquarters in Kampala. The Presidential Press Secretary, Mr Tamale Mirundi, confirmed the presidential demands over Owino, saying KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi had made “a big mistake” to delay the lease process. “His Excellency has again directed KCCA to hand over the market lease to the vendors and whoever does not realise that Museveni always sides with the ordinary people, makes a big mistake,” Mr Mirundi said. He said majority of Ms Musisi’s decisions lacked the authority’s backing to reclaim its position in the management of the city and guide the technical staff, who he said were running the city in isolation. “If Musisi’s actions were backed by any council [KCCA] resolution, it would be a different case. But its as if she is running the city alone,” he added. The developments come days after KDLB cancelled St. Balikuddembe market lease offer to KCCA, citing gross irregularities in the transaction. KDLB chairman Yusuf Nsibambi said while the board had offered the same lease to KCCA at zero cost, it’s irregular for the ED to charge the poor vendors instead of supporting them to redevelop the market. The board also accused KCCA top officials of influencing KDLB operations to execute “opportunists’ interests of grabbing public land and local people’s property”. Mr Nsibambi claimed that Ms Musisi and the director for physical planning had issued orders to his board to re- enter 15 properties and later allocate them to different developers irregularly. Mr Nsibambi said despite the board’s constitutional right of independence, KCCA Administration and Human Resource Director Jennifer Kaggwa illegally transferred the board secretary, Ms Sarah Kusiima, and replaced her with Ms Diana Nambi on April 2 until court overturned her decision. But KCCA Head of Communications Peter Kauju said: “The lease process was delayed by the vendors’ leadership wrangles in the market. They had to unite before handing over the lease offer to avoid violence.” the KCCA Legal Officer and Acting Executive Director, Mr Mike Okwo, said his office had not received any written document from the land board regarding the board’s disappointment. rmwanje@ug.nationmedia.com