Rock encroachers face eviction
Condemned. Some of the illegal structures near the rock, which have been condemned by the municipal authorities. PHOTO BY JOSEPH OMOLLO
What you need to know:
Banned. The resolution has been submitted to the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry to help in enforcing ban to any human activity within the vicinity of the rock.
ABOUT THE ROCK.Tororo Rock is located in the town of Tororo in eastern Uganda. It serves as the defining feature of the town. Climbing it involves 4 ladders to reach to the topmost.
The rock is not only for tourist purposes but also for medicine as most herbalists trek to the rock to get local herbs.
According to Mr Gideon Okwalinga one of the guides, more than 20 people on average climb to the top of the rock.
Tororo. Leaders in Tororo Municipality have resolved to evict people who have allegedly encroached on the land surrounding Tororo rock to save it from further degradation.
The municipal environment officer, Ms Monica Akol, says the resolution is aimed at safeguarding the rock from degradation because it has tourist, historical, cultural and biological value and it also serves as the defining feature of the town.
“Over the years, the rock has become a tourist attraction and as municipal authorities, we have decided to base on the potential it presents as part of a larger strategy to market Tororo as a tourist destination for both local and international tourists,” Ms Akol says.
She explains that the resolution has been submitted to the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry to help in enforcing ban to any human activity within the vicinity of the rock.
“We want the ministry to allow the municipal council authorities to go ahead and develop the rock into the level of a national heritage site in the region,” she says.
She added they will evict people who have planted trees on the footnotes.
She says they have condemned all the structures that have been erected within the gazetted area because the owners did it without the approval of council.
“Some of the individuals applied for permission to plant trees but after granting them permission, they instead ended up diverting the land for their activities,” she says.
The council in partnership with Ministry of Lands with support from the Uganda Support for Municipal Infrastructural Development [USMID] engaged Sileshi consultant Limited and have come up with designs that will guide Tororo municipal council in beautifying the rock to make it more attractive for tourists.
According to the designs, council is expected to establish modern cable car systems, establish a housing estate as well as constructing rest house and a monument on top of the rock.
The Mayor, Mr John Opio, said the council has recommended for a probe into circumstances under which some individuals acquired land inside the gazzetted area demarcated as rock zone.
‘’We shall not leave any stone unturned and we have recommended for a probe into circumstances under which gazzetted land was allocated to individuals and we want those land titles canceled’’ Mr Opio says.
Councillors from Eastern Division Council, where the rock sits, recommended for cancelling of licences issued to individuals to conduct any activity in any land surrounding the Rock including land tittles issued for individuals to any land within the gazzetted land.
Mr John Ochwo, the division LC3 chairperson, says they have already discussed the matter as council and ordered for restraining of any allocation of land for human activities.
