Hostel owners ask students to pick property

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Hostel proprietors around Kyambogo University have started calling up students to pick up their property, saying they can no longer keep it.

A number of students left their property in the privately owned hostels when government announced the closure of all learning institutions in the country on March 20th, 2020 as one of the ways to contain the spread of the corona virus disease-Covid19.

The students were optimistic that government would reopen the institutions soon, which hasn’t happened. After keeping the property for over five months, the hostel owners have started calling students to pick up their property.

URN visited selected hostels in Banda including Kabojja, Wamala girls, Palm, Good Shepherd, Tal, Eniad, Munir and Zein, Cariton, Liam and Erima among others and found some students picking their up property.

Our reporter also saw notices at some of the hostels asking students to pick up their property. “Dear Servite residents, due to the long unexpected holiday, you are all allowed to pick your property from your respective rooms in the presence of all your roommates,” read a notice at Servite student’s hostel.

The situation wasn’t different at Jussy hostel. “You are requested to pick your property for security purposes. The hostel is unable to keep your property for a period long than anticipated,” reads a notice at the entrance.

Cranma Byamugisha, the custodian Jussy hostel, says they host 300 students. He explains that management decided to invite students to pick up their property for safety reasons. “If anything wrong happens, we shall not be 100% responsible,” he said.

Byamugisha notes that whoever wants them to keep his/her property, will have to part with some money. “And what our students should know is that those who went with our balance will first clear and we allow them to take property,” he said.

Collin Nsamba, the Custodian Erima hostel explains that they also decided to call the students to pick their property because the hostel guard was relieved of his duties since management doesn’t have money to pay for his services.

Joyce Mirembe, the in charge of Cariton hostel, which accommodates over 40 students also says they called up students to pick their property but none has showed up yet.

She also says they worried about the safety of the student’s property and spending on security yet they are not earning from the students.

She says only those who are willing to pay money for the custody of their property will be helped.   

Jameson Atukwatse, a resident of Jussy hostel and native of Isingiro district says that he immediately started mobilising his colleagues when he received notification to pick up his property.

Atukwatse says that they couldn’t afford paying the Shillings 100,000 they were asked for if they couldn’t come for their property.

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URN