By Amos Ngwomoya.
Kampala Capital City Authority council meeting on Wednesday resolved to halt the demolition of all illegal structures in the city until a probe is done on which structures must be demolished.
The resolution was made after the Rubaga male councilor, AbubakerKawalya challenged the manner in which operations are being made, arguing that KCCA enforcement does the work abruptly before informing people.
“The demolitions have left people homeless Bse KCCA doesn’t give notices to people before they carry out the exercise, ” he said.
Mr Kawaalya noted that before demolitions are made, there must be a timetable with clear guidelines on which buildings must be demolished.
However, Mr Samuel Serunkuuma, the KCCA Acting executive director told council that the technical team will stop the demolitions for two weeks as they work with the committee of legal affairs and physical planning to come up with a full list of buildings that ought to be demolished, pending investigations of claims of those whose structures were demolished.
“For now, the demolitions can stop as we look into the matter comprehensively with the responsible committees. I am sure we shall have finished this in the next two weeks so that we can have a full report on illegal structures,” he said.
When the Lord Mayor asked Mr Serunkuuma why some illegal structures in the city keep cropping up, he said that some developers defy laws hence they construct at night. But he said that they have now moved to demolish them.
But for the old buildings which were built illegally, Mr Sserunkuuma said that this will require a court order to have them demolished, something he said, needs council resolution.