The president of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has criticized the government for demolishing buildings along roads in preparation for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit. Speaking at the NUP headquarters in Kampala on January 15, Bobi Wine expressed concern over the reported demolition of more than 3,000 business premises, especially in Makindye Division.
Since the end of the previous year and into the new year, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the official NAM summit organizing committee have been working on city improvements in preparation for both the NAM and G77 + China conferences. As part of these preparations, roadside businesses on major roads like Kampala-Ggaba, Kibuli, and Lukuli have been demolished.
Residents on these roads have faced pressure to renovate or close their buildings, while over 200 people in Kitalanga Zone of Makindye reportedly became homeless as KCCA demolished their unplanned houses to widen a drainage channel.
Bobi Wine criticized the government’s last-minute infrastructure development, accusing it of creating a deceptive image for international visitors at the expense of the suffering Ugandans. He stated that many lives have been disrupted, and some completely destroyed, in an attempt to present a positive image to summit attendees.
While international conferences like the NAM summit could be beneficial for the economy, Bobi Wine argued that the government’s approach has turned the event into a curse for many citizens. He highlighted the inconvenience caused to the homeless and the challenges with traffic flow, creating a difficult situation for the residents.
At least 1,500 delegates, including several heads of state, are expected to attend the NAM conference, which began on January 15 and will continue until January 23 at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo.
In addition to condemning the demolition, Bobi Wine’s spokesperson, Joel Ssenyonyi, criticized an alleged attempt by individuals, claimed to be police officers, to forcefully break into the NUP offices in Makerere Kavule, Kawempe Division. The NUP party announced its intention to petition the Inspector General of Police in protest.
However, the deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, stated that the police had not received any reports regarding the alleged attempt to break into NUP offices.
