By Sadique Bamwita
KAMPALA
The Commissioner for the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) on May 15,2025, gave Entebbe Municipal council an ultimatum of five days to file its defense on issues regarding unfairness in the allocation of lockups in the disputed Kitooro Taxi park.
The ultimatum which expires today on May 19, 2025 at 5pm followed failure by council’s Lawyers of Osilo & Co. Advocates Legal Consultant to file a written defense to the commission.
On April 29,2025, the commission’s legal and investigation team gave council an ultimatum of two weeks to file its defense before May 15,2025 but since then council never responded prompting the commission to issue a fresh ultimatum.
During the court proceedings, Commissioner Habib Sseruwagi, warned that in case of further abscondment, a warrant of arrest will be issued to arrest all the accused persons arguing that justice delayed is justice denied.
“People inject in money and time to come to the Commission to get justice. Therefore, municipal council should value their time and resources and swiftly act to allow the commission to hear the matter and deliver justice in time,” Commissioner Seruwagi cautioned.’
‘Make sure on Monday May 19, 2025, you file your defence before 5pm without fail,” Mr. Sseruwagi sounded his warning.’
In similar news, market vendors who were donned in white T. shirts bearing the massage “Justice for market vendors” staged a peaceful demo after court session demanding fairness.
However, credible sources intimated to us that Entebbe municipal Council Lawyers of Osilo and Co. Advocates Legal consultants, have withdrawn from offering legal representation to the council.
On April 3, 2025, the affected market vendors led by Mr. Denis Magyezi filed a petition to the Equal Opportunities Commission seeking fairness in allocation of lockups in the newly constructed Kitooro taxi park. They accused local councilors of influencing Municipal Principal Commercial officer Stephen Mulindwa to allocate each of them more than three lockups in addition to allocating themselves space in the taxi park to mount their kiosks.
These selfish councilors who defied Minister Magyezi’s directive to hand over the lock ups to the Town Clerk in addition to demolishing illegal structures include, Deputy Mayor Charles Kabwama, Jackie Mirembe, Yasin Ssemanda Kyeyune, Ahmed Bawonga Kasawuli, Innocent Ssewankambo, Nyansio Mutebi, Hassan Kitoogo and Twaha Kikomeko plus the chairperson of Kitooro Taxi Park Lovi Mangeni Wandera.
It should be recalled that in 2017, Entebbe Municipal council demolished all the old structures in Kitooro Taxi Park and commenced construction of the taxi park. At this time, all the affected market vendors were promised to regain their lockups and stalls when the construction is complete, but regrettably council never fulfilled this pledge after the accused greedy councilors dominated the allocation exercise and each politician got more than three lockups while the original market vendors got nothing. The affected market vendors argue that this action violates the provisions of Equal Opportunities Section 14 of the Equal Opportunities Act Cap 7.
