Africa-Press – Uganda. Tembo Steels (U) Limited, which owns the building that houses Medipal International Hospital in Kololo, Kampala, stormed the premises yesterday morning to evict the tenant due to rent arrears of more than Shs1 billion.
Lawyer Helga Wesonga, with private security guards and individuals, locked the entrances and exits of the hospital as instructed by the company.
“We have deployed security guards as talks go on and if the landlord doesn’t get the rent due, the guards will go ahead to ensure that Medipal vacates the building peacefully. So, for now we have closed the building, only leaving one entry and exit point,” Mr Wesonga said yesterday.
He added: “We first wrote to Medipal in September asking them to clear their debt but they did not adhere. We have followed the law in whatever we are doing and we are doing our best to ensure the building is vacated with no violence involved.”
Fruitless meetings
Mr Wesonga also claimed that this action came after several months of fruitless meetings and negotiations between the parties.
In the eviction notice dated September 8, 2022, the hospital has rent arrears dating back to June 2022.
“Management of Tembo Steels Uganda Limited after careful consideration has decided that you pay your outstanding rent of US$365,557 by September 30, 2022, and prepare to vacate the building by December 31, 2022,” the notice read in part.
As of yesterday morning, Mr Wesonga confirmed that the hospital had neither cleared their arrears nor vacated the premises which prompted him to come with private security and lock up the facility.
“My client has expressed dissatisfaction because Medipal has always promised to pay but they never do, so now our instructions are to prohibit entry, only allow exit and we also intend to close the doctor’s offices,” Mr Wesonga said before passing the instructions on to the Securex guards on the ground.
Efforts to speak to management of Medipal hospital were futile as officials attached to the hospital declined to comment and telephone calls were unanswered by press time.
This reporter returned to the the hospital at 4pm to seek comments from the management but was barred from accessing the hospital premises.
However, sources inside the hospital intimated to this publication that the hospital is open and treating patients.
They also said there was a high-level meeting was underway as both sides attempt to find an amicable solution.
By close of business yesterday, Securex security guards were manning the premises, with only one exit and entry point opened to the public.
Medipal International Hospital, a private facility, was established in 2019.
What the law says
Section 29 of the Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022, states that
(l) Where a tenant defaults in paying rent and is in arrears, the landlord may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the rent owed.
(2) Where the default in subsection (1) continues for a period of more than thirty days, the landlord shall be entitled to re-enter the premises and take possession in the presence of an area local council official and the police.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
