By THE INDEPENDENT UG
Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Entebbe Municipality Mayor, Fabrice Rulinda, has reassured Manyago village occupants, currently residing in municipal council properties, regarding the security of their occupancy. Dismissing reported threats of eviction circulating in the media over the weekend, Rulinda called a press conference to clarify that there were no lease offers beyond the terms agreed upon in the consent agreement reached with the tenants three years ago.
The clarification comes after a press conference last week by Stanley Okecho, an advocate with GEM Advocates, and some affected residents expressing concerns about potential eviction. They learned that the municipal council had purportedly issued a 49-year lease to Kaggwa Sseggujja Bugembe. Rulinda, accompanied by leaders of the Manyago Tenants Association (MTA), expressed concern that the previous week’s presser did not include association leaders.
Inviting Kaggwa to provide proof of legal interest in the land and to take legal action if necessary, Rulinda stated he had never met Kaggwa but received a call from him the previous night requesting a meeting. Rulinda expressed willingness to meet, provided it took place in the council office. He challenged Kaggwa to seek legal recourse if he genuinely held an interest in the land and the council failed to provide vacant possession. Rulinda also urged Kaggwa to identify the individuals he dealt with to obtain the alleged lease. Efforts to contact Kaggwa via the provided phone number were unsuccessful.
Pointing out various inconsistencies in Kaggwa’s alleged lease documents, Rulinda emphasized that under his leadership, he would not allow anyone to displace sitting tenants in violation of court orders. The Manyago estate land issue has been ongoing for approximately twenty years, arising from a joint project between the Ugandan and Indian governments to develop the Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centre.
Complications arose over compensation and relocation for sitting tenants, leading to the withdrawal of the Indian government’s involvement. The land, measuring approximately fifteen acres, has houses deemed unfit for habitation for over a decade. A consent court order from 2019 obliges the council to value the land and offer sitting tenants the first opportunity to purchase.
The sitting Town Clerk, Emmanuel Mugisha Gacharo, noted that he has reminded the Government Chief Valuer (GCV) to facilitate the valuation process, which is yet to be completed. Currently, tenants cannot undertake any development, and the council cannot engage in transactions outside the court order terms.
Rulinda clarified that any lease or sale authorization would require involvement from Wakiso district authorities. During the press conference, a purported lease agreement from 2011 was presented, revealing discrepancies in terms and signatures.
Questioning the lease’s authenticity, Rulinda emphasized the importance of tenant unity in protecting their interests. At the conference, attended by local council vice-chairman Galubaale Peter and MTA members, Rulinda stressed the need for the Government Chief Valuer to provide the property’s value to resolve the Manyago issue.
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