The High Court has issued an interim order stopping the reopening of Old Tax Park which was meant to be yesterday due to case in which 5 companies claiming to own part of the tax park.
The owners of the biggest part of it secured a court order halting activities of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) there.
The order was issued by the deputy registrar Natukunda Jovena stating that the much anticipated re-opening will have to wait a little longer until the case is concluded to determine who really owns the said park.
According to documents in Court, the said Companies claim that they entered into a consent agreement with Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA in December 2020, in which it was agreed that they will be granted the said plots by Authority after the park was rebuilt before the taxis that operate in the said park are allowed to resume their works.
The Five Companies that claim to own part of the old tax park include Key &Ham Limited and Lukyamuzi Investment Limited, claiming to own 0.058 hectares each, DKS Uganda Limited claiming to own 0.135 hectares , Abamwe Transport Limited claiming 0.067 and Kabale Distributors Limited, claiming to own 0.55 hectares.
City councillors yesterday attempted to forcibly visit the park and reopen it, but they were blocked by the police who arrested three of them and which a police constable, Mr Denis Kambugu from the Field Force Police was seriously injured in struggle.
The police bought a truck, which they use for detaining those arrested but its door lock couldn’t lock properly. Police officers spent minutes fidgeting with the door, which put the suspects at a risk of falling off or giving them a chance to escape.
Later, the officers were able to fix the door and Constable Kambugu jumped at the back of the police detention van as he held onto the door thinking that it had fastened properly. When the driver made a speedy swerve at a bend, the suspect’s door opened wide and the officer lost his grip. He fell violently on the tarmac and lost consciousness.
The Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the officer is receiving treatment in hospital.
“The councillors; Moses Kataabu, Faridah Nakabugo and Mulusini Kakande, were arrested on offences of incitement to violence. We are also investigating allegations that one of the suspects unlocked the door when the police van was being driven,” Mr Owoyesigyire said.