Jinja City Councilors, Town Clerk Undecided on Kakindu Recreation Center Giveaway

Jinja City councillors and the Town Clerk, Ambrose Ocheing has failed to agree on the giveaway Kakindu Recreation Center.

The Municipal speaker, Molson Bizitu held a public meeting at the Jinja city hall on Tuesday to consult stakeholders on whether to negotiate with the trustees of the Indian association or battle them out in court.

A section of members in the public gallery preferred court redress which they say will enable the municipality to retain the facility as a public asset.

Ochieng however, says that their legal battles over the matter have faced numerous setbacks due to uncommitted witnesses who are unwilling to present the required evidence before courts law.

However, Bizitu says that the councillors have tasked, Ochieng to seek leave from the court and refer the matter to the incoming city leaders whom he thinks will have enough time to explore the matter.

 //cue in: “the leadership which… 

 Cue out…lawful council decisions,”.

 The Indian Association is said to have constructed Kakindu recreation center in Jinja town in 1924 but their lease expired in 1969, but never extended it.  The association trustees, however, repossessed the same in 1996 even when they lacked a running lease. It comprises of a stadium, administration offices, conference hall, public library and a gym.

Reports also indicate that, although the repossession of such property ended in 1993 and the unclaimed property taken over by the departed Asians property custodian board-DAPCB on behalf of the central government, the Indian association repossessed Kakindu three years later without a clear explanation on why they received a special consideration over the same.

In 2000, Jinja municipal council applied for a freehold title 2000, however it is unclear why they never expedited the process of acquiring a title on the same.

After noticing that, Kakindu was vacant, the Indian trustees resurrected their claims over part of the recreation facility in 2004, applied for a freehold title which was later cancelled in 2008.

The Indian association, however, extended their lease over the same for 99 years in 2012 and sued Jinja Municipal Council, Jinja central division and the then Jinja central division chairman, Mubarak Kirunda over trespass on private property.

With the hearing of this suit expected to resume on Friday, 26th, February 2021, Rajin Taylor, the former Indian association chairman told journalists that, they have a master plan of developing Kakindu recreation facility and are ready to furnish the court with evidence of ownership.