According to Monday Joseph Bagonza, the Kitgum Municipal Council Town Clerk, the decision to cancel the proposed tenancy agreement extension for further five months after it had expired on December 31st 2024, was made after the lockup developers started claiming ownership of the bus park.
Kitgum Municipal Council has cancelled the proposed tenancy agreement extension for five months with lockup developers at the Kitgum Bus Park.
According to Monday Joseph Bagonza, the Kitgum Municipal Council Town Clerk, the decision to cancel the agreement extension for further five months was made after the lockup developers started claiming ownership of the bus park.
"The developers have started claiming ownership of the bus park, which is not theirs," Bagonza said. "We cannot allow them to continue occupying the premises when they are making such claims."
The tenancy agreement, which was signed in 1994 for a period of 20 years, had been extended for an additional 10 years in 2014. However, the agreement expired in December 2024.
Bagonza revealed that the council had proposed to renew the tenancy agreement for an additional five months, up to May 31st but the lockup developers seem not interested in the renewal according to letter dated March 17, 2024.
"We had proposed to renew the agreement for five months, but the developers rejected it," Bagonza said. "Instead, they started claiming ownership of the bus park."
The cancellation of the tenancy agreement affects over 150 lockup developers who have constructed lockups around the bus park.
Alexis Abonga, the Municipal Engineer, condemned the developers' claims to ownership, saying it was "uncalled for." "The developers have been given a deadline of May 2025 to vacate the premises," Abonga said. "We will not tolerate any further claims to ownership."
According to the Tenancy agreement, for the 30 years the developers were expected to recover the money they used for construction and after the 30 years, the council will repossess the premises.
The cancellation of the tenancy agreement paves the way for the council to redevelop the bus park.
"We are planning to redevelop the bus park into a modern transport hub," Bagonza said. "We will ensure that the redevelopment plans benefit the community."
The redevelopment plans are expected to begin from May after the lockup developers have vacated the premises.
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Opoka Denis
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