Judge wants beach structures removed

Some of the structures along Nambi Road Beach that Justice Choudry wants demolished. Photo by Martin Ssebuyira.

What you need to know:

Court redress. Justice Choudry says if his demand is not fulfilled within 30 days he will seek redress from court as well as demanding for compensation.

Entebbe.

High Court Judge Anup Singh Choudry has given Entebbe Municipal Council 30 days to demolish all illegal structures erected along Nambi Road Beach in Entebbe or face legal action.
The judge’s demand, which was served to Mr Wilson Mande, the Entebbe Municipal Town Clerk, is also copied to Dr Tom Davis Okurut, the National Environment Management Authority executive director.

The judge accuses the two government bodies of letting people erect structures in front of his house and blocking his view of the lake. The house is located in Manyago, Entebbe. “The trespassers on the beach are polluting the beach with noise, waste, sanitation, effluent to the lake and stopping public access. I have seen loss of bio diversity which existed and which I enjoyed on the beach,” reads the demand in part.

According to the demand, Justice Choudry wants all structures adjoining Nambi Road and Nanak Beach House to be removed. Other structures he wants removed include a toilet facility facing Nambi Road because it’s within the 200 meter zone.
He said he would prepare proceedings in court seeking an injunction for the removal of the structures and damages of Shs5b for interfering with the environment, and Shs5b for failing to take action since 2011.

He also says that he will demand that concerned Nema and Entebbe Municipal officials and trespassers are committed to prison. However, Dr Okurut, told the Daily Monitor that although they had not received the notice it was not their work to demolish the structures. “That should be done by Entebbe Municipal Council. Ours is only a supervisory role,” he said.

Mr Mande, however, told this newspaper that they are still studying the notice before they would respond to the matter.

earlier threats
Background. Nema and Entebbe Municipal Council in 2011 threatened to close all beaches on this stretch saying they were blocking residents from accessing the lake and some had toilets on the lakeshores. The authorities however, did not demolish them and are still operating todate. The property include Siena Beach Resort, Black and White Lounge, Two Friends Restaurant, Anderita Beach Hotel, Goretti’s Pizzeria, Island Cafe Beach Hotel and Mulowoza Restaurant.