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In June 2013, over 1000 residents of Kampala’s Nsambya Railway Quarters were evicted from their homes to pave way for the redevelopment of the land by a foreign investor. Some of these members were slum dwellers under the National Slum Dwellers Federation who lost property, their neighbours, the culture of sharing and the culture of pooling resources to make it through another day. Many are still trying to adjust to the kind of life they were thrown into, some having to sleep out in the cold for days before making out a way to survive in the city.
Nsambya railway quarters were occupied by both Uganda rift valley railway employees and outside residents. Most of these residents had lived in the quarters for more than 12 years and were also among the first Uganda railway employees.
The residents of Nsambya railway quarters were evicted in 2013 to pave way for new developments. Because the building in Nsambya railway quarters had become old and were located in land of high value. This prompted government to take a step to appropriate the land to be disposed to investor for development. The land appropriation was meant to follow a normalacquisition process. Based on information from the field the notice intension to take over the railway land was communicated through the Uganda Railway Corporation management in 2010. If this information was true, then it implies that there was some compliance to the law by government. But on the other note, the contested issue is that this was just a communication which was to be fulfilled after government fulfilled its obligation of compensating the tenants. The field confirmations also informed that, the continued stay in Nsambya railway quarters by the tenants was based on the assurance of compensation before vacating the land. Indeed it is logical to argue that if the eviction notice was issued in 2010 without any promises or assurance of compensation, then tenants would have left as early 2011. Not until 2013 where the tenants were given only 24 hours to vacate the area. Such a duration is not enough to immediately look for other options or move away. Otherwise they needed some prior arrangements because the eviction adversely affected them.
Sources: http://www.actogetherug.org/eviction-not-stop-us-margaret-kaherus-story/ ; https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/2449714/Julius%20Snoop%20Obita%20-%20MPSVDEV%20-%202016.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y | 
