Prime
Museveni orders on Owino market title
President Museveni and David Balondemu, chairperson of Kampala District Land Board. Photos | File
What you need to know:
- Mr Baker Mugaino is currently holding the position of commissioner in acting capacity.
- The President arrived at the decision after the commissioner refused to hand back the market’s title [to the rightful authorities].
President Museveni has instructed that the title of St Balikuddembe (Owino) market be rescued from the Commissioner for Land Registration.
Mr Baker Mugaino is currently holding the position of commissioner in acting capacity.
The President arrived at the decision after the commissioner refused to hand back the market’s title [to the rightful authorities].
The issue on the market was brought to the President’s attention by the Kampala District Land Board boss, Mr David Balondemu.
“I have got a letter from Mr David Balondemu, the chairperson of Kampala District Land Board (KDLB), regarding St Balikuddembe market, which had been given to the traders operating there in 2014, which was a wrong policy,” the President wrote in a July 4, 2022 letter.
“Markets are nursery schools for our low income business beginners. They should operate there cheaply and when they are richer, move out to more expensive operational bases,” he added.
The fear of future generations losing out on the market was a reason why the President was afraid of the idea of privatising it to traders.
“When you privatise it to the present traders, what happens to future generations? Fortunately, they failed to use the 10-year probation to develop the market as provided for by the covenants. The Land Board, having also heard of my policy position, cancelled the title to the traders (vendors). However, somebody going by the title of Commissioner, Land Registration, has refused to hand back the title,” Mr Museveni explained in the letter.
“Therefore, I hereby direct that you rescue this title immediately and inform me. I thank and commend those that brought all this information to my attention,” the President concluded in the letter.
The directive was copied to the Vice President, Ms Jessica Alupo; the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja; the Attorney General (AG), Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka; and the Minister of Local Government, Mr Raphael Magyezi.
Others notified were the Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjati Minsa Kabanda, the Kampala Capital City Authority Executive Director, Dr Dorothy Kisaka, and Mr Balondemu.
What informed market takeover?
St Balikuddembe market was constructed at Nakivubo in 1971 covering about 8.5 acres of land.
At the start of operations, its management was overseen by then Kampala City Council (KCC) until May 31, 1995, when vendors took over the management.
In 2002, KCC dissolved the vendors’ leadership and handed over the market to city businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba under his Victoria International Company, which managed it from November 2002 to 2006.
Over time, as other wrangles continued cropping up among rival factions fighting for its administration, President Museveni in 2019 then decided to set up a committee to study the status of public and private markets in the city. Following this development, the government in 2020 resolved to take back the management of the market with the sole intention of facilitating its development for all individuals.
