Businessman Rajiv Ruparelia’s plans of constructing an all-sport stadium in Kololo, Kampala are thwarted by selfish actors at Kololo Secondary School who have been paying off ghetto dwellers to fight the developers.
But to Rajiv, the selfish individuals had the opportunity to develop the land more than 40 years ago before government handed him the title, realizing that Kololo SS would do nothing.
“The Kololo SS land belongs to government of Uganda and that land was allocated to Premier Academy an affiliation of Kampala Parents. And that land between Kololo SS and Premier Academy was jointly being used as a sports field,” Rajiv explained the genesis of the fight.
Rajiv wonders why the school had the chance to develop the land from 1956. “Until today they keep telling us that they have the ability to develop it. It is quite shocking that at a time we have come out expressing willingness to develop the land, Kololo SS management also wants to when we have the title”
Rajiv, the rally ace explained that he wants to build a stadium, football academy, gym and conference facility for the sports fraternity.
“Of course there will be a fee, but a nominal fee for the sports fraternity who will use it until they start learning how to commercialize sport.”
He added that unfortunately, the selfish individuals in Kololo SS are derailing the project by trying to grab the land.
Asked how he intends to develop the land, Rajiv said he will first put a boundary wall and a gatehouse to control the flow of people, and then the stadium will take 2 to three years to develop.
“You see when the Ruparelias say they are doing this, it is done. We are very committed to this project which in my view will benefit all the sports fans in the country.”
The Ruparelia Group Managing Director also revealed that a section of people around kololo are steering strife, by bribing locals to cause chaos and fail him in his developmental work with intentions of grabbing the land.
“Some people want to grab the land. They want to be land grabbers. Unfortunately, this is not good for our society. It is not Kololo SS land. The land belongs to Ruparelia Group, and is between Premier academy and Kololo SS, and jointly used by the two as a sports field,” he said.
He further uncovered a secret plan by these people, by saying that they distribute money to the poor population to cause chaos and fail his efforts to develop the land, He revealed that he must go on with his plans of developing the area, regardless of anything.
“……..they use the LCs, they give some small money 1K, 2K, I know who they give money to and what they do. They incite violence to try to stop development. It is extremely sad to try to take advantage of poor people like this,” Rajiv stated.
He questioned their delay to develop the land and wondered why they have suddenly developed interests to develop it now yet all along they had been looking on. He revealed that the said land belongs to the Ruparelia group, which acquired its title in 2006.
“They tell us they have the ability to develop it. They had all the time in the world to develop it, but they didn’t. It shocks me that they want to develop it at a time when we also want to develop it.
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