Gulu district local government is seeking to relocate the central police station and barracks from the town center to pave way for infrastructural development. Martin Ojara Mapinduzi, Gulu District LC V chairman says that they have sought audience with the minister of Internal Affairs to discuss the possibility of relocating the station to the suburbs of the town.
He says that proposal is aimed at freeing up space for investors to set up business in the town to boost trade and development. Ojara says that the district has received several requests from operators of large chain stores seeking to set up outlets in the town. He cites Moghe Amina, the proprietor of Nakumati Oasis Shopping mall and another plastic bottling company as some of the investors who have asked for land to set up outlets in Gulu.
Oasis would add onto Uchumi and several commercial banks that have rushed in to tap in the booming business sector in the region. He explainsthat the relocation of the police barracks would pave way for the construction of four separate units in each of the four division councils in the town.
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Ojara says that the district does not have all the required land saying they are encouraging private partnership between the investors and the land owners to enable them agree on conditions for acquiring land to set up their businesses.
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Gulu University has also communicated to the minister for internal Affairs expressing interest in the piece of land presently hosting Gulu Central Police Station. Professor Emilio Ovuga, the dean of the Faculty of medicine says that there is a plan to extend the medical school that occupies part of Gulu referral hospital to cover the space occupied by the police station.
The developments demonstrate a marked increase in business and infrastructural expansion in the district that only years ago constituted a battle field in the war between the LRA rebels and Ugandan government forces.
