Court extends order stopping eviction of Makindye wetland dwellers

The High Court in Kampala has extended an order stopping the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) from evicting over 300 people residing in a wetland in Makindye Division.

The Land Division of the High Court’s deputy registrar Flavia Nabakooza last week issued an order which temporarily blocked the eviction of 304 residents of Kansanga Kiwafu ‘B' and Heritage Zones in Makindye Division, Kampala district pending the disposal of the court case file by the wetland dwellers against NEMA.

On Monday afternoon, Justice Musa Ssekaana extended the order until today, July 7.

“An interim order issued by the deputy registrar against the respondent, its agents, servants, employees or anyone else from evicting and destroying the applicants’ houses and developments  or interfering with the applicants’ quiet enjoyment of their developments on the suit land until July 6 is hereby extended until July,7, 2020 when the application will be heard,” Justice Ssekaana said.

Background

NEMA recently wrote to the residents giving them 21 days to leave the wetland or face eviction.

The 304 residents later ran to court to stop their eviction, arguing that they have stayed on the said land since 1990.

The group says it has erected permanent structures including residential buildings on the said land but above all , they have been affected by several government projects including the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway and that they are awaiting compensation from Uganda National Roads Authority.

They insist they can’t vacate the land without compensation because they are entitled to it.

“I and my co-applicants will suffer irreparable injury if the respondent is not restrained from demolishing , evicting or interfering with our quiet enjoyment of our properties on the suit land till the determination of the main suit,” says Jeff Gidaguyi Wadulo, one of the applicants.