The church of Uganda has renewed its claim for Mbale Garage land where about 15,000 artisans ply their trade.
The church says it intends to construct a jubilee house in the land which is adjacent to St. Andrews Cathedral in Mbale town. The land has been home to the artisans since the early 1970s.
Right Reverend Patrick Gidudu, the Bishop of Mbale Diocese says the church intends to reposess the land ahead of its golden jubilee celebrations which will take place on 23rd of October.
Bishop Gidudu explains that the church has contacted the office of the RDC Mbale to help in the evictions of the mechanics that operate in the space where the church intends to build a 3.5 billion shilling jubilee house to act as a shopping complex.
But the claim is being contested by the mechanics that also lay claim of ownership over the land.
Violet Namboso Lule, the LC1 Chairperson of Mbale says the land has been home to about 15,000 mechanics for more than thirty years and the church cannot just wake up and tell them to vacate.
Lule says the mechanics can only vacate the place if they are given an alternative place to operate from.
James Kutosi, the Mbale Municipal spokesperson says the council is aware of the claim made by the church and are making arrangement to transfer the artisans to another place along Kumi road.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to lay the foundation stone for the jubilee house on 23rd October during celebrations to mark the golden jubilee of Mbale Diocese.
