Rose Nalujja, a 21 year old daughter to the late Oliver Basemera, a street vendor who drowned in the Nakivubo Channel in early August has dragged the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the Attorney General to High Court, seeking payment of up to Shs. 800 million shilling in damages for the loss of life of her mother, who was her sole caretaker.
The late Basemera drowned in the city drainage channel, while running away from KCCA enforcement officers.
Her death triggered citywide protests from mostly bodaboda cyclists, traders and fellow vendors who condemned the enforcement team’s brutality.
Ms Nalujja, with support from her uncles; Patrick Kugoza and Richard Baleke who are residents of Kyenjonjo district are accusing the head of KCCA security Manager Kituuma Rusoke and his team of looking on as Basemera drowned in the channel.
These want court to declare that KCCA neglected its duty to fence and cover up the Nakivubo Channel hence posing danger to the public.
The suit was filed to court by the family members through Asinguza and Company Advocates.
The complainants contend that 37 year old Basemera was earning a daily fee of 50,000 shillings through selling sweets, handkerchiefs and roasted groundnuts on different streets of Kampala which money she used to care for her family of 3 children
“But on the 4th/August 2017, near Mukwano road in Kampala, as the late Basemera was going by her daily business, KCCA law enforcement officers being escorted by police who were armed with guns , batons and sticks started chasing after vendors on that street,” they say.
“In order to save herself for further actions from tough enforcement officers she ended up entering the open drainage system where she later drowned “
The family now seeks a compensation of 800 million shillings inclusive of transport and burial expenses of the late Basemera and payment of her children’s school fees.