East African Business Week

KAMPALA, UGANDA - There were mixed feelings amongst Nakawa/Naguru tenants on the surburbs of Kampala as the 50-year old housing estate was last week razed down to create room for a new satellite city.
The eviction follows government's decision to construct 1,747 flats and related benefits for low income earners.
Around 1,760 tenants who have been occupying the 66-hectare piece of land have been affected. The houses were constructed in 1950s to accommodate government workers but they have since decayed.
The tenants have on several occasions fruitlessly attempted to block the redevelopment, asking for compensation before leaving the estates.
Mr. Monday Kintu, Nakawa Resident Commissioner said  the evicted tenants will be considered after phase I of the construction has been completed. "They will own the housing units after two years through a mortgage scheme in housing finance and pay for them in 20 years," he said.
Opec Prime Properties, a subsidiary of the British-based Comer Homes Group, was contracted to do the job. The Comer Group is one of the United Kingdom's largest and most successful property companies. It now has property interests that extend into Europe and the United States.
The tenants however claim that in 2003 Uganda President Museveni had promised to get them alternative accommodation when they were to be evicted. The tenants also claimed that their association had raised over Ush.800m ($320,000) to develop the area. They also feel that government should have stuck to their promise of occupation/ownership arrangement.