By Sadique Bamwita
ENTEBBE
The Senior Assistant Town for Entebbe Municipal Council Division ‘B’, Aidah Namanya, on April 29, 2025 appeared before the Legal services and Investigations unit of the Equal Opportunities Commission to explain on the circumstances surrounding the unfairness in the allocation of lockup shops in Kitooro Taxi Park.
Her appearance followed issuance of summons in which the Town clerk was supposed to appear in person before the commission.
Namanya, who trembled before the commissions ‘ legal team led by Candsy Natamba told the commission that the file containing the list of allocated market vendors plus the memorandum of understanding the petitioners signed with Entebbe municipal council was taken by the Minister for local government for further scrutiny.
Natamba gave the Town Clerk an ultimatum of two weeks to produce the list of vendors who were allocated lockups in the newly constructed Kitooro market on top of presenting to the commission the list of market vendors who originally occupied the disputed Kitoro Taxi Park.
The matter was adjourned to May 15, 2025 when the commission is expected to begin hearing the petition filed by the affected vendors.
On April 3, 2025, the affected market vendors led by Dr. 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 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 that 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.
