50 government-aided schools face eviction

At risk. Pupils play at Nakivubo Blue, one of the primary schools under the jurisdiction of Kampala Capital City Authority. PHOTO BY JAMES KABENGWA

What you need to know:

  • Report. The revelation is contained in the KCCA Public Accounts Committee (Pac) report dated December 1.

Kampala.

At least 57 out of 79 government-aided primary schools under the jurisdiction of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) risk being evicted because they lack land titles, Daily Monitor has learnt.
The lack of land titles partly explains the endless land wrangles faced by Kampala city schools according to experts. The revelation is contained in the KCCA Public Accounts Committee (Pac) report dated December 1.
The report was compiled between February and September this year.
The five-man committee headed by Mr Bob Kabaziguruka was appointed by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago in February. It is also the first Pac report to be released since the establishment of KCCA in 2011.
Of the 79 schools, only four schools sit on land owned by KCCA, 18 schools have so far received lease offers from the various controlling authorities while 57 are sitting on temporary land, and could soon be displaced by the owners of the land.
Of the lease offers to the 18 schools, the report adds, 13 were given by the Uganda Land Commission (ULC), four were from the Buganda Land Board (BLB) while one was given by Kampala District Land Board (KDLB).
However, the report states that the lease offers from ULC and KDLB were offered on terms and conditions, while the lease offers from BLB are subject to payment of close to Shs900m in lease fees, but documents show that KCCA has so far paid Shs200m to BLB.
“…the other 57 government-aided primary schools sit on land controlled by faith based institutions, other government and non-governmental agencies and private agencies. KCCA has no control on the land on which these schools sit, and they don’t have titles nor lease offers for these schools,” the report reads in part.
Mr Peter Kaujju, the KCCA spokesperson, acknowledges the fact that majority of city schools do not have land titles, but he notes that they are engaging relevant bodies to protect schools’ land from land grabbers.
“We are really concerned about this problem but KCCA has made mileage as far as acquiring lease offers for some schools is concerned. Our target is to ensure that all schools under our jurisdiction get land titles and we are working on it,” he says.
However, Mr Kaujju did not give the timeline when the 57 schools could secure lease offers.
Previously, city schools have been demolished under controversial circumstances, raising eyebrows among the public on how well connected people and investors are grabbing schools’ land in the city.
It is also reported that some schools struggle to get lease offers but even those who already have, had their land claimed by land grabbers.
For instance, in 2004, part of Nakasero Primary School land, which comprises the school playground, was leased to M/S Prestigious Apartments by the ULC.
Although the school’s management committee, KCCA and Ministry of Education asked ULC to revoke the titles, M/S Prestigious Apartments has since taken Nakasero primary school management committee to court seeking vacant possession of the said land. The Attorney General and KCCA legal team are representing the schools.
The report further shows that in 1995/96, Nakivubo Primary School management committee entered a MoU with M/S Kasajja and Sons Studio to exchange part of school land with construction of a commercial building for the school.
According to the report, M/S Kassajja and Sons is now claiming ownership of the building handed over to the school, and he has since dragged the school management committee to court.
The school is being represented in court by KCCA legal team.
Although Katwe Martyrs Primary School is government-aided, it sits on land belonging to the Namirembe Diocese.
However, KCCA in April this year received a development application endorsed by the Diocese, which seeks to convert part of the school into a shopping mall. The plan has been put on halt.
While receiving renovated classroom blocks from the Indian Woman Association at Kasubi Church of Uganda Primary School last month, the KCCA executive director, Ms Jennifer Musisi, said the enrollment in all the 79 city schools under KCCA has increased but government’s funding is not sufficient.
“From the budget we get every financial year as KCCA, only Shs450m is allocated to the city schools. However, this money isn’t enough because it can only refurbish few schools yet we have 79 schools in the city which we are supposed to take care of hence some schools miss out,” she says.
To improve the standards of the dilapidated city schools, Ms Musisi says KCCA is currently working with partners to offer support to the schools.
But she adds that she is courting government to increase KCCA budget which will see a raise in the budget for the education directorate to improve the standards of city schools.
Mr Lecoboam Ssesangi, the head teacher of Kasubi C.O.U Primary School, asks KCCA to process the land titles for the school to protect it from some people who are claiming its ownership.
KCCA’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) allocation for 2018/19 is estimated at Shs458.33b.
The difference in figures from FY 2017/18 arises from the increased allocation for the Kampala Institutional Infrastructural Development Project (KIIDP-2) from Shs 31b to Shs 158.88.
In the 2017/18 budget, KCCA was allocated only Shs 337b, leaving a huge funding gap.
If the Shs 458.33b budget estimate for KCCA is passed, the education and social services directorate will get a share of Shs 37b.
However, with the pending projects in city schools, this money is likely to be less.

Some of the schools at risk of being evicted
Mengo Primary School
Kasubi C.o.U Primary School
Namirembe Infant School
Kabowa C.o.U primary school
Kawempe C.o.U Primary School
St Pauls Kyebando Pri. School
Ttula Primary School
Mbuya C.o.U Primary School
Luzira C.o.U Primary School
Kibuye Primary School
Katwe Matyres Primary School
Mutundwe Primary School
Mpererwe Primary School
Mackay Memorial Pri School
Munyonyo Primary School
Kisugu Primary School
Makerere Primary School
St Peters Pri School, Nsambya
St Joseph Girls School, Nsambya
Ggaba Demonstration Pri School
St Paul’s Pri School, Nsambya
St Ponsiano Pri School, Kyamula
St James Pri School, Bbiina
St Jude primary School Naguru
St Pauls Primary School Banda
St Lawrence Pri Sch, Kigoowa
Kiwatule Primary School
St Martin Pri School, Mulago
St Peters primary school Kanyanya
Queen of peace primary school
Uganda Matyrs primary school, Rubaga
St Joseph primary school Mapeera
Lubiri primary school
Mulago school for the deaf
Namungoona Orthodox primary school
Kampala primary school
Nateete Muslim primary school
Muslim Girls primary school
Kibuli Demonstration school
Kawempe muslim primary school
Kawempe Mbogo Muslim primary school
Kyanja Muslim primary school
Wandegeya Muslim primary school
Bukoto Muslim primary school
Bbiina Islamic primary school
Kasubi Family primary school
Katwe primary school
Mirembe primary school
Makerere University primary school
Kawempe School for the Physically Handicapped
Summit view primary school
Military police primary school
Police children primary school, Kibuli
Murchison Bay primary school
Bat Valley primary school
Kalinabiri primary school