Kisoro court sets date for ruling on market dispute case between Councillor Kamara and Mupaka Town Council

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Moses Agaba

The Kisoro Chief Magistrate has set Thursday as the date for the July 10^day In 2024, the court ruled on the market dispute case between Bufumbira North MP John Nzeyimana Kamara and the Mupaka Town Council in Kisoro District concerning Kamara Market.

Kamara, the Bufumbira North County MP, last month sued the Mupaka Town Council, seeking court intervention to address what he saw as unfair treatment by the Mupaka Town Council administration and its agencies.

Kamara was represented by lawyer Ayesiga Rebecca of Beitwenda & Company Advocates, while the Mupaka Town Council was represented by Nbarara Attorney General Twinomugisha Brian.

In his submissions, Kamara’s lawyer, Ayesiga Rebecca, said Kamara had established a private market on 1.8 acres of land in the Mupaka Town Council through proper channels.

She added that Kamara was protesting against unfair treatment by the town council authorities, especially the Sh45 million market operating licence fee. Ayesiga argued that the Sh45 million fee assessed by the Mupaka town secretary had no legal basis.

She disclosed that the town council only remitted 5 million Uganda shillings per year to Kamara during the period when Kamara offered the market to the town council authorities.

She questioned why the same town council was now asking Kamara to pay nine times the amount he had previously received. Other grounds for action cited by attorney Rebecca included excessive taxation of market goods, selective allocation of Kamara’s market goods, and the town clerk’s involvement in private market affairs.

In response, Deputy Attorney General Twinomugisha Brian cited Section 189 of the Constitution, which allows local governments to levy and collect taxes as required by law. He asked the court to dismiss the case without costs, arguing that the complainants had no evidence to prove that the amount claimed was reasonable.

Kamara is seeking compensation of 500 million Ugandan shillings. After hearing both sides, Chief Justice Komachi adjourned the ruling until Wednesday, July 10.^day 2024.