The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has blocked the fencing of Kitgum Boma Grounds with lock up shops.
Kitgum Town Council had passed a resolution to allocate plots around the grounds to developers to construct lockup shops that would act as a fence.
Though the decision faced stiff resistance from the technical staff led by the town council engineer, the council overruled the technocrats. They ordered the Town Clerk Michael Wokorach to advertise the allocation which he promptly did, with several people applying for space.
But the lands ministry has stepped in and stopped the process with immediate effect. In letter dated May 11, 2012, the ministry permanent secretary Gabindadde Musoke advises the town clerk to stop the process with immediate effect.
Gabindadde says the proposed development of lockup shops surrounding the Boma Grounds is not compatible with the predominantly civic nature of the environment.
He argues that the ground has been playing key recreational and environmental roles in as an open ground in the Town. He has advised the town council to look for an alternative way of fencing off the playground instead of using shops.
The directive has, however, not pleased some Kitgum town council officials. Richard Ojara Okwera, the LC3 Chairperson calls the letter rubbish. Ojara says the Permanent Secretary has no powers to stop development in the town council. He wonders which laws the secretary is quoting to block the construction. Ojara has also accused Kitgum resident district commissioner Dan Manano of working under the directive of the district chairperson, Luka Nyeko. Ojara says it is the district chairperson who ordered the RDC to write to the ministry of lands to block the construction.
Cue in: “The PS in his own wisdom…
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Ojara says there is going to be an emergency council session to respond to PS Musoke’s directive. He also says that during the meeting, council will change the status of the Boma Ground from being open ground as it has been to football pitch, which will give the council complete control to decide what to do with it.
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The Town Clerk Michael Wokorach declined to comment saying he had not yet received the letter. He was however at loss to explain how the letter addressed to him could first reach other people to whom it was copied and not him.
The Acting RDC Manano, who had written to the Ministry seeking their advice on the process, says his office will discuss with the town clerk so the money for people who paid for the plots is refunded.
Over 200 people had already applied for the plots. Kitgum Town Council had earmarked over 700 million shillings for the completion of the entire fencing process.
