Landlord refunds NUP office rent citing security intimidation

Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A landlord in Kitgum municipality has returned the money paid by the National Unity Platform-NUP to establish an office on his premises citing intimidation from security. NUP reportedly paid Shillings 400,000 in August as two month’s rent to Bosco Oloya Oboni, a businessman in Kitgum municipality for office space on his building in Pandwong division.

The office was meant to coordinate NUP activities in East Acholi, covering Kitgum, Lamwo, Pader and Agago districts ahead of the 2021 general elections. However, security blocked the operations of the office saying the party officials didn’t make a formal request to set up their operations. The office has remained under lock since then.

Oboni told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Wednesday that he decided to refund the rent fees because of intimidation by security. According to Oboni, he had never faced such intimidation before renting his room to NUP party members. “I have refunded their money because security couldn’t open their offices and as a local man, I couldn’t pull ropes with security over the matter,” said Oboni.

Oboni says to be on a safe side, I won’t rent the room to any political party now or in the future adding that he intends to repaint the house and remove the NUP party colours. According to the source, Oboni has also been under pressure from Kitgum municipal council officials for allegedly deviating from the original use of the building plan that was approved.

Kitgum Town Clerk Emmanuel Banya told URN that he wasn’t aware of the allegations. He however notes that municipal officials often issue letters to property owners reminding them to acquire occupancy permits before using them. He notes that Oboni could be among the several property owners who hadn’t paid for the occupation permits but were already using their buildings for commercial purposes.

According to the Building Control (fees) Regulations 2020, any structure including a house is required to obtain an occupancy permit before use. Samuel Obedgui, the National Unity Platform party regional liason officer told URN that they are facing challenges of establishing offices in Northern Uganda due to the continued intimidation of property owners by security.

He says they faced similar challenges in West Nile region recently where most property owners denied them office space after purportedly being bribed or threatened by security. Apparently, NUP has one stable regional office in Gulu city which was launched last month to coordinate activities within Acholi and West Nile region.

Kitgum Resident District Commissioner William Komakech who also heads the district security committee denied allegations that Oboni was intimidated. “Why should Oboni live in fear, what kind of intimidation anyway, there wasn’t any intimidation,” he said

******

URN