In Summary
Accused. Legislators say KCCA is playing double standards
Some schools in Kampala have been squeezed into remaining with only classrooms as land for playgrounds and co-curricula activities is given away to investors.
Schools including the Nabagereka Primary School, Nateete Muslim Primary School, Buganda Road Primary School; Kitante Primary School and the Nakasero Primary School, are all managed by the Kampala Capital City Authority.
Each school, according to KCCA records, has a population of not less than 1,000 pupils. A Parliamentary probe committee investigating the giveaway of city schools’ land on Wednesday ordered KCCA to put caveats on all the contested land.
The six-man select committee probing the demolition of Nabagereka Primary School and other public schools in Kampala learnt that most of the playgrounds for the schools such as Kitante, Nakasero and Buganda Road have been sold.
This prompted the parliamentarians to issue the directive for a caveat during a visit to the affected schools.
Mr Robert Migadde Ndugwa, the Buvuma Island legislator and committee head, also ordered KCCA to pull down all the fences that were erected on the school’s land that is under contention.
“We don’t want double standards in these matters. If KCCA is the rightful owner of the land, then use your constitutional prerogatives and put caveats on that land with immediate effect, until the matter is resolved,” Mr Migadde instructed.
At the Nateete Muslim PS, the former head teacher, Mr Muhammad Katumba, claims part of the school’s land belonged to his father and he is the only surviving beneficiary. He has since turned some classes into his residence and KCCA’s attempt to vacate him yielded nothing.
MPs were stunned on learning that the Buganda Road playground was given to Jima Properties (U) Ltd, owned by Mr Ibrahim Kibirige of BMK group of companies who offered to construct a perimeter wall for the school in exchange.
Mr Emmy Waliggo, the KCCA’s legal officer, told MPs that the deal was authorised by an anonymous permanent secretary at the Uganda Land Commission.
fmukisa@ug.nationmdia.com