District chokes on Shs3b debt, faces eviction
Kamuswaga Apollo Sansa Kabumbuli II. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Under the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act, 1993, the government agreed to return all assets which had been seized from cultural leaders in 1966 by the then president, Apolo Milton Obote, although some are still in the hands of the state
The hereditary ruler of the Kooki Cultural Institution, Kamuswaga Apollo Sansa Kabumbuli II, intends to evict Rakai District headquarters from his buildings over accumulated rent arrears amounting to Shs3 billion.
Under the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act, 1993, the government agreed to return all assets which had been seized from cultural leaders in 1966 by the then president, Apolo Milton Obote, although some are still in the hands of the state.
Mr Stanley Ndawula, the Kooki spokesperson, said they have in the past decade been demanding money from the district but have not got any positive response.
“We are now left with the option of evicting the district from our buildings. We have continuously reminded the district about the debt obligation but they have paid a deaf ear,” he told this newspaper on Wednesday.
Consultation
However, Mr William Kamara, the Rakai District Chief Administrative Officer, revealed that the district has already written to the Solicitor General for advice.
“It’s true we received a letter from a certain law firm on the directive of the Kamuswaga demanding close to Shs3 billion in rent arrears but we have to consult the Solicitor General, who is our chief advisor of the legal matters,” he said. He explained that regarding the debt payment to the Kamuswaga and as to whether the district should vacate the buildings is beyond him as he waits for a response from higher offices. He, however, appealed to the Kooki Cultural Institution to be patient.
In 2019, Buganda Kingdom evicted Masaka District Local Government staff from their buildings at Ssaza Village on the outskirts of Masaka City over non-payment of nominal ground rent amounting to more than Shs1 billion.
The kingdom accused the leaders of deliberately failing to formalise their tenancy. Rakai District was created during former president Idi Amin’s regime in the early 1970s. In 2008, the district acquired land in Rakai Town and started constructing its own administration block but construction works stalled due to financial constraints.
