Mahatma Gandhi project in Entebbe stalls over land wrangle

Entebbe. Entebbe Municipality risks losing the opportunity to host the international conventional centre in memory of India’s founding father Mahatma Gandhi after residents occupying Manyago I Estates refused to vacate the land to pave way for the multibillion project.
The Indian government has offered Uganda $79m (about Shs295b) to construct a state-of-the-art Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre.
Both Entebbe Municipal Council authorities and the central government had selected Manyago Estate I land for the project.

Tenants refuse to vacate
However, residents occupying the 16-acre piece of land proposed for the project say they should be the first to be given the opportunity to redevelop the land since they have occupied the property for half a century. The land is home to more than 130 households.

Mr Henry Oketch, one of the residents, told Daily Monitor on Monday that there is no proper relocation plan designed by the municipality, something that has triggered suspicion among the residents.
“I know we are settled on Entebbe Municipality land and we are its tenants, but it wasn’t proper for them to act as middlemen for the Indian government. We wanted the initiators of the project to come and meet us,” Mr Oketch said
When contacted yesterday, Entebbe deputy mayor Richard Ssekyondo said they have not given up on the project yet and are busy looking for alternative land.

“The Indian government offered Uganda two projects; one was to construct the Gandhi Heritage Centre, which was taken by Jinja Municipal Council and construction of a convention centre, which was given to Entebbe Municipality. The delay in finding the required piece of land [for the project] doesn’t mean we have lost the project,” Mr Ssekyondo said.
He added that the project was scheduled to commence in July but it has been delayed by wrangles over the proposed site.

“They [sitting tenants] demanded for Shs180 billion as compensation, which was too much. Secondly, Manyago I Estate land wasn’t enough for the project because it has only 16 acres yet we need more than 20 acres. So, the government gave us another chance to get an alternative land, which we are still looking for,” Mr Ssekyondo explained.
“There is vacant land in other areas within the municipality. Let them take the project there and stop disturbing residents here,” Mr John Bosco Ndibasanga, another tenant, said.

Earlier attempts
In May, the Anglican Church, which owns the land adjacent to Manyago I Estates, which houses St Mark Church, Namate, also refused to have its 7 acres annexed to Manyago I Estate and allow the project to take-off, saying a non-Christian monument cannot replace a church.
The proposed international conventional centre will have a sitting capacity of at least 5,000 people and also a 150-bed hotel.

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