Four people were ‘brutally’ arreasted Thursday Morning as Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) law enforcement officers accompanied by Police started the clearing of Centenary Park, three days before the allocated deadline.
The operation that started as early as 3am went on smoothly until after 7am when the manager of Nalongo Estates, Sarah Kizito; whose contract to run the area was terminated in April arrived condemning the act by KCCA officials to clear one of the green areas at the park.
“What are they doing, they are destroying the green yet they said they wanted it. What is Jennifer Musisi doing? These people are sick,” Ms Kizito who is also wife to Central Division Chairman, Godfrey Nyakana said.
It is at this point that Ms Kizito in company of her son and other people shipped in the area by Nyakana started removing the iron sheets that KCCA had started to put up in order to codon off the place.
In scuffle between KCCA, Police, the Nyakana family and group left Ms Kizito to be arrested dramatically as enforcement officers nearly undressed her in presence of Police until she was bundled into a KCCA car and driven to City Hall Police.
Moments later, one man, this newspaper has not identified but was among the group Nyakana brought in was held by the legs and dragged on the ground leaving his clothes in shreds before he was thrown on the KCCA double cabin. Police was yet to intervene.
Two other people were arrested before Nyakana took off and currently he and his group have taken shelter in Club La Beaujolais to avoid their arrest.
KCCA deputy spokesperson, Robert Kalumba said that the authority decided to start acting due to security issues.
“We have officially taken over the park. We decided to do it before time due to some issues regarding security and the public should know that this is a public place and we have not sold it to anyone as rumor has it,” Mr Kalumba said.
He however said that the authority is to engage tenants into negotiations and discuss the way forward.
“We are now directly responsible to the tenants and we will have a discussion with them and see whether we can give them a grace period,” he added.
