Stick wielding goons run after Kampala mayor Erias Lukwago and other city leaders
Stick wielding goons run after Kampala mayor Erias Lukwago and other city leaders who had visited Nakivubo Park Yard market.
Stick wielding goons on Monday blocked Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago and other city leaders from accessing Nakivubo Park Yard market where they had gone to assess the situation following the eviction of vendors and demolition of their stalls by police.
They (goons) blocked Lukwago from coming out of his car before beating up some of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) councilors who had accompanied the lord mayor.
Kawempe South Member of Parliament Mubarak Munyagwa and Kampala lord mayor Erias Lukwago at Nakivubo Park yard market. They were not allowed to get out of the car. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa
Minister in charge of Kampala, Ms Beti Kamya in a February 7, 2017 directive gave traders at the Park Yard market thirty days to vacate, which should lapse in a week. The minister says the land in contention belongs to the Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium which, she says, agreed to give it up for redevelopment.
However, police moved in on Monday morning to seal off the market ten days before the deadline.
In a crisis meeting convened by Mr Lukwago, Kampala capital city authority councilors agreed to visit the market to get first hand information following eviction of vendors.
The demolished stalls in Nakivubo Park Yard market.
According to Lukwago, the authority maintained status quo of eviction in the last council meeting insisting that before eviction, the city leaders had to first intervene in the issue but Beti Kamya disrespected their decision and went ahead to issue a directive which has left many traders stranded.
When the city leaders accompanied by some MPs who included; Micheal Kabazuguruka (Nakawa), Allan Ssewanya (Makindye west) Moses Kasibante (Rubaga North), visited the market on Monday, police had sealed it off and deployed heavily. The stick wielding goons pounced on the councilors and started beating them up. They were rescued by police which intervened in time.
When lord mayor Erias Lukwago and other city leaders accompanied by some MPs visited the market, police had sealed it off and deployed heavily.
Kampala Metropolitan police commander Mr Frank Mwesigwa told this reporter that three of the goons had been arrested.
One of the councillors, Damba Ismail (Rubaga) was also reportedly arrested while Lukwago and company were denied access.
