The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There is a bitter row between Masaka Regional Referral Hospital authorities and the vice president over ownership of a building on Plot 2 Bainnes Terrace, Kizungu in Katwe /Butego division in Masaka municipality.
A source at the Hospital told URN on condition of anonymity that they recently received a notice from Ssekandi & Co. Advocates acting on behalf of the vice president, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi instructing them to vacate the building within 30 days.
“Our client was entered on the register on 28th October, 2010, a copy of the certificate of the title is herewith attached” the notice partly reads. The notice that is copied to the village chairperson and Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigations Department at Masaka Central Police station, says their client has failed to obtain vacant possession of the house because of the continued stay by medical workers.
The disputed building, which is said to have been, built in the early 1990s hosts intern doctors attached to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital. Dr. Nathan Onyachi, the Director Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, says he received information after assuming office in 2018 that someone was claiming the building but didn’t take it serious.
He says the hospital acquired the embattled piece of land hosting the contested building in 1995, adding that they have already petitioned the Justice Catherine Bamugemereire Land Commission to investigate Ssekandi’s claims.
According to Dr. Onyachi, despite being served with an eviction notice, they will not leave the contested building until the commission pronounces it’s self on the matter.
Dan Mulondo, a councilor at Masaka Municipal council faults the former Masaka District Land Board members for dubious land transactions, which he says could have affected the hospital house. He says that a big number of public land and open spaces in the municipality were allocated to private developers.
He says the council has already asked the Solicitor General to intervene and help council reclaim the lost public land and open spaces. Ali Mubiru, a resident of Kizungu has asked Ssekandi not to evict the health workers from the contested building, saying it may affect service delivery to residents since they will have to look for alternative accommodation away from the hospital.
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