Ayiga Ondoga
20 June 2008
Kampala — ISLAMIC University in Uganda (IUIU) is to construct office blocks and a shopping centre worth over sh47b ($30m) in Nakawa to raise funds for its other projects.
The project is to replace about 135 housing units in the depleted but disputed Nakawa estate.
The Rector, IUIU, Dr. Ahmed Sengendo revealed that the project is to be funded by Islamic Development Bank in partnership with other donors and will take between two to three years to complete.
The foundation stone of the complex was laid on Thursday by the Secretary General of Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, who was assisted by Third deputy Premier and Minister of Information and National Guidance, Al-Hajji Kirunda Kivejinja.
Others at the occasion were state ministers, Rukia Isanga (Gender), Kasirivu Atwooki (Land), vice-chairman, NRM, Al-Hajji Moses Kigongo, Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Mubajje, Lt. Gen. Moses Ali and University officials.
The 10-acre piece of land for the project was donated by the government. Government also previously donated land on Kampala Road for the building of King Fahad Plaza, another money generating project by IUIU. Ihsanoglu commended the good patronage given by the government by giving land for the university's projects.
The allocation of the Nakawa estate for development is still a disputed matter with the local government ministry pitted against the estate's tenants and the Inspectorate of Government. Sitting tenants in the estate were astonished on witnessing the laying of the foundation stone for the IUIU complex.
"We are left speechless because we thought the government had plans to construct houses to benefit the sitting tenants but now we are seeing a different development in the area," W.K Igama, chairman of the affected tenants.
Earlier this week, the Inspector General of Government, Justice and local government minister, Kahinda Otafiire locked horns over the same estate.
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