VP Ssekandi, Masaka hospital in property row

The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has intervened in a property ownership dispute between Masaka hospital and the Vice President, Mr Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, for land and buildings on Plot 2 Bainnes Terrace at Kizungu in Katwe/ Butego Division, Masaka Municipality.
Ssekandi & Co Advocates, acting on behalf of Mr Ssekandi, last month issued a 30-day ultimatum for all occupants on the said property to vacate the premises.
Masaka hospital administration on the other hand is awaiting a response from the Justice Bamugemereire-led commission findings on the matter. They say the land is meant for the infrastructure expansion programmes.
While Masaka hospital administrators claim the property belongs to the facility and was acquired way back in 1995, URSB clarifies that the property was sold by Reconstruction and Development Cooperation Ltd in liquidation.
Plot 2 Bainnes Terrace was sold to Masaka hospital while Plot 4, Bainnes Terrace was sold to Mr Ssekandi.

“From our records, we can confirm the sale of the properties by Reconstruction and Development Cooperation in liquidation,” Mr Bemanya Twebaze, the URSB registrar general, in a July 17 letter addressed to Health Ministry Permanent Secretary and copied to Masaka hospital administration, said.
“We are in the process of engaging the services of a surveyor to open boundaries for plots 4 & 2 located on Bainnes Terrace to ascertain the actual location for the two plots,” he added.
On November 12, the Masaka hospital director, Dr Nathan Onyach, confirmed the unresolved property wrangle for the prime land.
“Masaka hospital is the rightful owner of the plot. The disputed building currently hosts intern doctors attached to the facility. Any attempt to have them evicted will disrupt the smooth flow of the services at the hospital,” Dr Onyach said.
“We welcome the interventions including the proposed survey by URSB to help ascertain the facts on this particular land. We also eagerly await the outcome of the Bamugemereire report on the same matter to have the standoff resolved amicably,” Dr Onyach added.
In their eviction notice, a copy of which Daily Monitor has seen, Ssekandi & Co Advocates said their client wants to develop his property.
While on her recent visit to Masaka Regional Hospital, the State Minister of Health, Ms Sarah Opendi, told the hospital staff that her ministry was aware of the standoff.
“I condemn the land encroachment practices that have not spared the hospital land and urge the new hospital management board to fight the land encroachment problem,” Ms Opendi said.