The Makerere University Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration (DVC FA), Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has directed all encroachers on the 4.9 acres of University land located in Bwaise to vacate within two weeks.

“It has been observed that there are tenants who have constructed illegal structures such as kiosks, wooden structures and all others which were not constructed by Makerere University. This is against the university policy.

The purpose of this letter is to instruct you to remove all illegal structures on University land within a period of two weeks from the date of this letter,” reads part of the letter dated 31st October 2014.

The land, located in Bwaise Makerere zone1 and Banda zone along Bombo road, is to be fenced off using barbed wire and security personnel will be placed to guard it.

Part of the encroached land in Bwaise.

On the above date, the University called for a meeting with all illegal occupants and the area LCI Chairperson to discuss this matter. In his submission, LCI Chairman Njuba Leo, shared that many of the illegal occupants took refuge on this land after being displaced by the construction of the Northern bypass. “In its recent clean up exercise, Kampala Capital City Authority asked these illegal occupants to vacate the University land in Bwaise and many of them obliged. But now, they are beginning to return with small businesses,” he added.

Detective Sam Paul Nabende, who is investigating this matter observed that, “there has been laxity on the side of the University by taking long without giving notice of caution to the encroachers, trespassers, illegal occupants, which gave them room to increase in number and widen business activities.” Many of these encroachers have occupied the land for not less than 20 years.

A report filed by the University Legal Officer, Goddy Muhumza on 3rd November 2014 after visiting the land, highlights a number of encroachers. One of them is Planet Petrol station, which uses part of the land as an extension for both the petrol station and provision of parking space. Other encroachers own garages, and make shift structures on the land. Some of these structures, like kiosks and other small business entities, are owned by Staff members of Makerere University.

Story by Marion Alina