How Museveni helped Sarah Kizito ‘keep’ Centenary Park land

For starters, Mr. Amooti Kizito Nyakana, is a senior ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party member.

Despite being out of elective politics, he has fought tooth and nail to help NRM chairman and presidential candidate, President Yoweri Museveni win elections.

Mr. Nyakana and his wife Sarah Kizito of Nalongo Estates Limited are the owners of the firm that manages a leisure park in Kampala that’s embroiled in a land wrangle with government agencies, the duo say they are ready to comply with the directive to demolish structures that stand in the way of a sewer line.

To many, this is a right step towards transforming and creating a clean and green city. The proprietor(s) of Nalongo Estates breached the agreement it signed with KCC in 2006.

Even the Special Forces Command soldiers who were deployed to keep guard on behalf of the Kizitos over to stop a planned demolition by Kampala Capital City Authority officials left and returned on Monday.

By presstime on Monday,  graders are currently pulling down restaurants and bars.

This follows Friday’s emergency meeting with they had with Mr. Museveni at State House Entebbe that resulted into a win-win for all parties involved.

Museveni ordered that after the determining the land required for proposed public infrastructural projects, Nalongo Estates should be allowed to use the remaining land.

“After listening to all the parties, the President advised that Nalongo Estates should not be completely thrown out. They should be given the remaining land,” a source that attended the meeting said.

Museveni went ahead and stopped KCCA, National Sewerage and Water Corporation  from doing the demolitions of affected illegal structures but Nalongo Estates should because it ‘the situation would be more civil if the Kizitos demolished the structures since she knows what to salvage.’

Kizito during the meeting accused KCCA of maliciously refusing to renew her lease request.

Meeting attended by Kampala minister Beti Kamya, Hon. Abdul Katuntu the chairperson of Parliament’s COSASE, top officials from KCCA, NWSC and proprietors of the park led by Sarah Kiziito.

Ugandans on social media have not been as forgiving to the Nyakanas as Museveni has. “They should face the consequences of their ill-informed decision to construct permanent structures in a place that was meant to be a bridal garden and recreational park,” people ranted.

“KCCA should not give in to blackmail, intimidation or threats by the proprietors of the estates. It should ensure that Centenary Park is reverted to its intended use. KCCA should also work not only towards the restitution of green belts in the city but also ensure that recreational parks and children playgrounds are established in each of its five divisions.

Museveni instead ordered Mrs. Kizito to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with KCCA regarding the management of the park as investigations go on, Minister Kamya said.