Four years later, the battle for Banga Nakiwogo playground rages on
In 2020, the High Court of Uganda at Kampala (Land Division) registered a civil suit No. 346 on the dispute of the lake side Banga Nakiwogo playground in Division A, Entebbe Municipality. This civil suit’s main plaintiff has Geoffrey Shelton Okot, a resident who claims ownership for some piece of this recreational facility that has […] The post Four years later, the battle for Banga Nakiwogo playground rages on appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
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In 2020, the High Court of Uganda at Kampala (Land Division) registered a civil suit No. 346 on the dispute of the lake side Banga Nakiwogo playground in Division A, Entebbe Municipality.
This civil suit’s main plaintiff has Geoffrey Shelton Okot, a resident who claims ownership for some piece of this recreational facility that has existed for over four decades.
The defendants in this suit are Entebbe Municipality, former youth councilor and Mayor of Entebbe Municipality Vincent De Paul Kayanja (1998 to 2001) and Phillip Balikuddembe Mugabi.
There were key witness statements from Kayanja and former councillor Bageya, who emphasized the ownership of this playground by the community with Entebbe Municipal council as the main custodian.
For the past four years, this case has raged on and it is now in the final stages before judgement will be made.
As a prerequisite prior to the final judgement, a locus of the disputed land at Banga Nakiwogo had to be executed which was on Monday, 8th July 2024.
The situation was tense as the heavily guarded High Court Judge Justice Basaza Patricia Wasswa of the Land Division visited the land disputed.
Local residents, leaders at the different levels of administration were all present at this locus visit.
I thank all the residents of Banga Nakiwogo and other Stakeholders for turning up for the court’s Visit to the Locus (land under dispute). All witnesses enriched their witness statements by the physical demonstration to the Judge on the ground. When the statutory lease of public land to Municipal councils was abolished in 1995 acquisition of land titles on community facilities started. In 2013, Entebbe Municipal Council resolved to have all community land surveyed. This covered all open spaces/Gardens, football playgrounds and schools. Vincent De Paul Kayanja, former youth councilor and Entebbe Municipality Mayor
Justice has to prevail at all times. The Banga Nakiwogo playground serves the due purpose to the community. We need nothing but justice. Hon. Michael Kakembo, Mayor Entebbe Municipality
Having visited the ground in person, Justice Patricia Basaza Wasswa got a clear impression of this land dispute.
For a long time now, the Banga Nakiwogo playground has been used by the local residents to serve the purpose of hosting different sporting activities as football, netball, athletics, handball and cycling.
The ground is also used as a meeting point for residents to convene community gatherings and it is a polling station in the national and local government elections.
Other Community grounds and open spaces in Entebbe Municipality:
Entebbe Municipality also has other public playgrounds as Fisheries Training ground Bugonga, Entebbe Works playground, Kigungu playground, Kiwafu Playground, Gombolola Katabi playground, Entebbe SS playground, Katabi Busambaga playground (mainly used for Rugby), Entebbe Police playground, children’s park in Entebbe town, Kakeeka cricket oval (within Entebbe Golf course), Lake Victoria Primary school playground and the Muslims land near the famous Freedom tree.
Banga Nakiwogo, Fisheries, Works, Kiwafu and Kigungu are all fenced off.
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