Museveni orders Minister Nabakooba to ‘hunt down’ Commissioner hiding Owino market land title

President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba to identify the Commissioner, Land Registration who has adamantly refused to hand over St Balikudembe/Owino Market land title to government.

In a letter dated 4th July 2022, President Museveni said he received a letter from Dr David Balondemu, the Chairman of Kampala District Land Board informing him that giving the ownership of Owino market to vendors was a wrong policy because it would be privatized hence barring the poor stakeholders from benefiting from the arrangement.

President Museveni added that in 2014, land for St Balikudembe Market commonly known as Owino market was given to traders but it has generated wrangles since then.

“Markets are Nursery Schools for our low-income business beginners. They should operate there cheaply and when they are richer move out to more expensive operational bases. When you privatize it to the present traders, what happens to the future generations? Fortunately, they failed to use the 10 years’ probation to develop the market as provided for by the covenants…,” Museveni told Nabakooba.

“The Land Board, having also heard of my policy position cancelled the title to the traders. However, somebody going by the title of the commissioner, Land Registration has refused to hand back the title. Therefore, I hereby direct that you rescue this title immediately and inform me…” he added.

The letter comes at a time when Owino is in endless internal wrangles among rival factions over who is the rightful leader of the market operations.

In 1971, St Balikuddembe/Owino market was constructed at Nakivubo, sitting on about 8.5 acres of land. At first, it was managed by Kampala City Council (KCC), the KCCA predecessor, until May 31, 1995, when vendors took over the management.

However, in October 2002, KCC took over the vendors’ leadership and handed it over to city businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba under his Victoria International Company which managed it from November 2002 to 2006.

On January 19, 2009, President Museveni ordered that the land on which the market sits be leased to the vendors and in 2014 it was handed over to them. However, according to President Museveni, traders themselves have failed to manage the establishment.