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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Elias Nuwagaba, the former personal assistant to Makerere University Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe is seeking compensation of lost items after he was evicted from the university house.
Through his lawyers Rwaganika & Baku Advocates, Nuwagaba is demanding 60 million shillings as value of lost items and another 60 million shillings in general damages.
The lawyers want university officials to be held individually liable for the loss. The officers are Yusuf Kiranda, the University Secretary, Professor William Bazeyo, the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Finance & Administration, Eng. Christina Kakeeto, the Estates & Works Director, Harriet Magala Milika, the university housing overseer, ACP Philip Acaye, the Chief Security Officer and Nixon Okello, the officer-in-charge, Makerere University Police Station.
According to Henry Rwaganika, one of Nuwagaba’s lawyers all the officers jointly and severally trespassed on his client’s property on August 16, 2019, causing him heavy losses.
“This was done in broad daylight when people broke into our client’s official premises on House No. 179 Kasubi View and threw our client’s household properties out of the house and exposed them to rain.,”
Lawyers say the properties included chairs, tables, mattresses, television set, sideboards and curtains. They add that the properties were not only thrown out in rain but some were actually looted.
According to Rwaganika, some of the properties that were looted include three laptops, property land titles and land agreements, cash totalling to 35 million shillings, a Toshiba Camera, a Cooker, three flat irons, Nuwagaba’s original academic documents, two sofa sets, carpets, children’s suitcases, clothes including suits and shoes were taken.
Rwaganika observes that all this was in addition to disconnection of water and electricity, leaving the house in total darkness and without any water supply.
“All this happened in our client’s absence. When he came back to the house, he found the remaining properties soaked under rain and many were stolen. The rest were already looted and taken away,” Rwaganika says.
Nuwagaba contends that breaking into his home was an illegality centrally to the decision of Makerere University Staff Appeals Tribunal which set aside his dismissal thereby forbidding the university authorities from evicting him from his official residence.
The officials have been given seven days in which to reach an amicable settlement of the matter, lest they face court action.
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