Museveni charms Wakiso residents with pledge to tarmac roads
President Museveni interacts with children of Kasanje Junior Primary School during the celebrations to mark Heroes’ Day at Kasanje Town Council grounds yesterday. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU
Wakiso-Residents of Wakiso District yesterday left the Heroes’ Day celebrations jubilating as President Museveni announced tarmacking of a major road network and promised decisive action against land evictions.
The President said a 65km road network of Nakawuka-Kasanje-Mpigi, Kisubi-Nakawuka-Nateete, Nakawuka-Mawugulu-Nanziga- Maya, Kasanje-Buwaya and another from Kibuye-Busabala, would be tarmacked. He, however, provided no timelines.
“The President has given us hope but he needed to have drawn timelines on when these roads will be worked on,” a resident, who asked not to be named, said.
However, Mr Allan Ssempebwa, a media officer at the Uganda National Roads Authority, recently said government had already completed the road designs.
“We hope it will be done in the 2019/20 budget because normally, every road whose designs we complete, we budget for its construction,” Mr Ssempebwa said, without providing insights on the figures.
President Museveni also said evictions are a fraud backed under no law and asked tenants to resist any attempts to evict them.
Some people interjected that most evictions are done under police and military guards.
President Museveni replied: “Report them to me. Land evictions by landlords are done by fraud. Landlords use intimidation to evict [tenants]. Resist [the evictions] and or liaise with leaders to report to me.”
Wakiso is one of the areas most affected by land evictions with the latest and nearly a worse one being at Lusanja early this year.
Mr Museveni visited the area and promised action, which residents are patiently waiting for.
He said land was a very important asset in development and wealth creation.
“Creating individual wealth is key and I implore everyone here to cater for their own wealth. Commercial agriculture, cottage industries and service sectors such as boda bodas are key interventions,” Mr Museveni said.
He said for all these to materialise, land must be available.
He added that roads were an important infrastructure but were a community good that even when present, may not increase individual household incomes.
