RUKUNGIRI – Market traders and members of the Bus and Taxi Park Developer’s Association in Rukungiri Municipality have resolved to seek legal redress following the municipal leadership’s failure to address their grievances.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The development follows directives from the Minister of Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, concerning the allocation of market stalls and lock-ups to tenants during his “Expose the Corrupt” campaign visit to Rukungiri District.
The resolution was reached during an indoor meeting held on Tuesday at Christ the King Parish Church within the municipality, where members expressed dissatisfaction with the way municipal authorities were handling the dispute.
The developers, under their association, say they intend to petition court for an injunction to protect their interests, accusing municipal authorities of siding with tenants while disregarding their concerns.
The association chairman, Geoffrey Tindagwesire Kenzigye, said the developers were initially granted a lease to construct the market and taxi park, which expired in 2019, though later arrangements extended their stay as they awaited redevelopment.
Kenzigye dismissed claims that the developers no longer have any stake in the market as misleading, maintaining that tenant agreements provided for continued occupancy pending construction of a modern market.
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Hon. Innocent Rubarondesa, Municipal Councillor for Kinyasano, said Rukungiri qualifies for a government-funded modern market, arguing the town deserves a properly constructed facility, not a renovated one.
He dismissed claims that government funds would be spent renovating the market after demolishing existing structures as misleading, insisting that Rukungiri deserves a newly constructed, well-designed modern market.
Rubarondesa cited land documentation and plot allocation disagreements as disruptive, and urged parties to resolve their differences, noting the market could be developed by the original developers or the government.
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The Chairman of Rukungiri Municipality Property Owners, Robert Baguma Tweyambe, urged the developers to formally document their grievances, attach their signatures, and submit the letter to the council for consideration.
He explained that this formal submission would give the authorities a clear opportunity to carefully examine the developers’ concerns and give them due consideration in the ongoing redevelopment process.
Rukungiri Business Community Chairperson Cresistom Byaruhanga, alias Rwakaana, warned that the developers should be given priority, noting that neglecting the dispute could spark unnecessary conflict between property owners and municipal authorities.
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The affected developers, including Edson Ampereza and Aidah Turyagyenda, accused municipal authorities of giving tenants undue influence, saying some tenants had stopped paying rent and even denied knowing their landlords when asked to fulfil their obligations.
The developers, who accused the authorities of favouring tenants who had stopped paying rent and denied knowing their landlords, said previous reconciliation efforts had failed to yield results, prompting them to seek legal assistance.
CUE IN: VOX POP OF DEVELOPERS. RR
During the meeting, members agreed to contribute money towards hiring lawyers and pursuing legal action, saying they had lost confidence in the municipality’s willingness to address their concerns.
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