Mbarara City Speaker attacks MP Bataringaya over Kamukuzi Property saga

Mbarara – The war over the ownership of properties at Kamukuzi is not yet to end, more ‘fire’ has erupted between Mbarara City Speaker Bonny Karutsya Tashobya and MP Bazir Bataringaya to step down from the chairman committee handling the issues of Kamukuzi properties.

This development arose after a group of Youth from Mbarara City stormed the office of City Mayor Robert Kakyebezi demonstrating the issue of Mbarara District plotting to take over the ownership of Kamukuzi government properties.

From the meeting that was held at Igongo Cultural Centre, a committee was formed to sit and come up with a clear resolution on who should take over the ownership of Kamukuzi properties among Mbarara City and Mbarara District. MP for Kashari North Bataringaya was appointed the Chairperson of the committee by the influence of Minister Raphael Magyezi. 

Subsequent to the protests, Speaker Tashobya addressed journalists and blamed it on MP Batatingaya alleging he was one of the people escalating issues in favour of the District to take over the properties.

Tashobya said that Batatingaya is one of the members of the former council of Mbarara District who had recently attempted to sell off some pieces of land at Kamikuzi but luckily enough their plan was sabotaged. 

Tashobya added that some of the properties including the houses at Kamikuzi were built by the government meant for Offices not for commercial, he wondered who gave permission to the district to turn them into commercial business as they use them for rent.

He said that this committee should look for the right chairperson who will fairly look into this matter positively.

Bataringaya is a person who will influence the committee to come up with a resolution that will not favour Mbarara as far as the issue of properties is concerned because he is already having self-interest.

“I know doesn’t hold credibility for this committee as a chairperson,” 

However, MP Bataringaya told our reporter that he is chairing a committee of equal members from both sides Mbarara City and Mbarara District including fellow Members of Parliament from both City and District, therefore there is no way he can override the opinions of the membership of the committee once the majority decides a resolution. 

He further said that he doesn’t know where Speaker Tashobya gets the moral authority against him because he as Tashobya is not clean to judge him. He added that when there is a legal issue it is the court to decide not him as Tashobya. “First of all my credentials are not doubtable even at the district everybody knows that I was against the sale of properties and lands and even now am against sell of properties.

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First of all, Kamikuzi should be retained for regional purposes since Mbarara City is becoming a regional City, then the government should look for resources and build for Mbarara District and Mbarara City as well, and Mbarara City should build else were there than fighting for Kamikuzi” said Bataringaya.