Traders turned up in large numbers at the High Court Civil Division for the hearing of the case they filed against businessman Hamis Kiggundu and others, seeking an order stopping him from constructing the Nakivubo Channel and demanding compensation for the loss of their merchandise.
However, Kiggundu also filed an application asking the court to dismiss the traders’ case. This application, which was already pending before the court, must first be heard on December 8 before the parties return on the 11th of next month for the main application.
Traders who lost their merchandise in the recent floods turned up in large numbers at the High Court, ready for the hearing of the case they filed against businessman Hamis Kiggundu, KIHAM Enterprises, NEMA, and KCCA.
The case did not start, and the Registrar of the High Court, Kintu Zirintuusa, pushed the matter to the 11th of next month. Up to today, Kiggundu’s side had not filed their defence, but through their lawyer, Arnold Kimara, they asked for seven more days to file all the required documents.
Meanwhile, Kiggundu also filed his own application in the High Court seeking the dismissal of the traders’ case. The court will first hear Kiggundu’s application on the 8th of next month before the traders return on the 11th to know the next step.
The traders’ lawyer, Joseph Luzige, asked them to remain patient until the date given by the court.
“We shall follow the court process as guided, and I ask all traders to remain calm as we pursue justice,” Luzige said.
Godfrey Katongole, one of the traders’ leaders, says their main concern is getting compensation for their losses because some of them lost everything in the floods.
“Many of our people are stranded. We want compensation because the floods wiped out entire businesses,”Katongole noted.
The heavy rains at the beginning of this month left Kampala flooded, with a sizeable number of traders counting huge losses after water entered their shops and destroyed their merchandise.