A woman removes her belongings shortly before her house in Naguru was demolished. PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA

It has been a one-sided week of misfortunes. On Monday, a bulldozer razed houses in the Nakawa/Naguru estate. It was a pity putting up with the sight of families watching haplessly as their belongings were crushed and buried in rubbles. Then midweek President Museveni made the unconvincing argument for a weaker Uganda shilling against the US dollar. His statement has attracted loathsome responses from the public.
But first, the debate over the eviction of tenants in the Nakawa/Naguru estates has taken years to settle and it is unlikely this is the last we hear of it. On each side of the battle to evict or not to are political self-interest-serving heavy weights lurking in the shadows.
Ugandans have learnt how to do business the Nigerian way – stick yourself in the middle of an investment prospecting deal to ensure you are not left out when the deal matures. In this latest case of Nakawa/Naguru estate, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, while still the Minister of Local Government clashed with former IGG Faith Mwondha. In the mix were other big names, including former Presidential Principal Secretary Amelia Kyambadde, whose role was, in being the President’s front woman, tried to ‘intimidate’ the investors before they could meet the President.
No land
Kampala has virtually run out of land to give out to investors after a frenzied run in the last couple of years by the government and other private parties to sell as much land as possible to whoever claimed to be an investor. Because of the huge profits accruing form land transactions, it attracted politicians and others from the onset.
Overnight, land has become a speculative item bought and sold literally on the streets of Kampala sometimes by the most unsuspecting individuals. Kampala hardly has any greens left including parts of the much glorified golf course. The challenge with Kampala city is how the expansion of the city is being planned. Much of what was constructed in the 50s and 60s need to be brought down to create space for modern plans to allow for the expansion of the city’s business district, which brings me to the point about the Nakawa/Naguru estate.
Whatever the arguments, that estate is absolutely obsolete and should have been brought down donkey years ago. The problem though, is what then would replace the estate? Naturally, being so close to the city centre, the area should be allowed to develop as a breather for the city’s commercial district and not another residential spot. In the last couple of years, the rate of population growth in the city has been far beyond what the capacity of city which explains why there are more slums sprouting in all corners of the city including the destruction of wetlands.
I listened to President Museveni speaking at his wife’s book launch event and he was unapologetic about the weakening of the Shilling. The words of the President were definitely not for the faint-hearted if one expected a consolation. He certainly isn’t bothered by what happens in kitchens around the country where there is hardly food to eat because so many people cannot afford.
Walkers’ gunpowder
It is not likely that the President will want to be seen to say things that would absolve those who walked-to-work a few months ago over the same issues nor would he want to be perceived as ‘weakening’ his stance on his earlier arguments that “his farmers” are benefiting from the rising food prices because that would only provide gunpowder to the walkers.
Well, Mr President, life can be so unfair!
fmasiga@ug.nationmedia.com