Mbarara Illegal Structures Demolition Causes Uproar Farouk Twesigye The demolition underway Tensions have been looming at Mailo Ibiri on Mbarara-Masaka Road in Mbarara Town for some time following a pending demolition of several business structures and kiosks in the town that are said to have been constructed without approved plans. The demolition that is being spearheaded by the Municipality Clerk, Munono Baryantuma caused tumult as the businessmen and women claimed that they had lawfully procured the business spaces from the municipal council and that demolition of the same would amount to breach of contract. The tensions reached boiling point yesterday after the demolition had just started and Police were tipped off that the business community in the area were planning a massive demonstration protesting the move. However, Police was swift to act and Anti-Riot Police was immediately deployed all over the town to act in case of a riot. Hajji Ismah Sulaiman, who owns a garage in the area, told ChimpReports that the move was not fair since the business operators had all along been paying for trading licenses for the same businesses. “So, were they collecting revenues from illegal businesses?” he wondered. However the Town Clerk, Baryantuma also told this website that the plans were to continue without being hampered by the protests adding that the area in question was a clear road reserve. “If they are saying that they do not have where to go, I am so sure that none of them was born in a road reserve. Let them go back from where they migrated,” a visibly angry Baryantuma said.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 08:25:28 +0000