The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The State Minister of Internal Affairs, Mario Obiga Kania has said that as of now they don’t have any law to compel landlords to waive rent or stop them from evicting tenants.
Speaking at the Uganda Media Center on Thursday, Kania said all they have for now is to appeal to the landlords as a form of corporate social responsibility to wait not to ask for rent until such a time when the people go back to the normal way of working.
“We are not saying don’t pay but make a business agreement with this person when to pay after these measures are over. We have no right to direct them to waive off the rent but if you remove so many people and they go to the streets, it will become a problem. We appeal very firmly that please, let these tenants remain, you will sort out these issues later,” Kania said.
On Wednesday, while addressing the country, President Museveni said landlords shouldn’t evict tenants based on non-payment of rent until the measures imposed to curtail the spread of coronavirus are lifted.
Earlier Kania had said that if anybody is evicted by their landlords, the government will make sure that they are reinstated because this is the time for helping each other.
Meanwhile, Kania also reiterated the President’s message on the ban on the use of boda boda and said any form of motorcycles should stop moving by 2 pm unless given special permission by the Ministry of Works and Transport.
“All motorcycles must stop at 2 pm; the whole idea is to minimize the movement of people. Please don’t wait for the time of the curfew to start doing your work. We hope it won’t be necessary to impound your machines,” Kania said.
On the pickups and double cabin vehicles, Kania said that there is going to be more scrutiny to make sure that they are going to pick up cargo but not for just moving around.
On the border markets, Kania said the police and other security agencies must make sure that they are closed because they might facilitate the transmission of the coronavirus.
“We want to contain Covid-19 within Uganda because our neighbours are taking their steps. I appeal to the district authorities to close those markets because they are making our job very difficult,” Kania said.
Kania also revealed that foreigners living in Uganda shouldn’t be worried about the expiry of their visas or work permits.
“We have suspended the issue of illegal immigration for the time being and we shall be reviewing this time to time,” Kania said.
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