Former minister Okumu Ringa thrown out of house
Former minister Patrick Okumu Ringa carries his property following an eviction from a house in Naguru, Kampala last week. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
Mr Okumu Ringa is accused of failing to pay rent arrears of close to Shs100 million accumulated over four years.
Kampala- Former minister of State for Public Service and MP for Padyere County Patrick Okumu Ringa has been thrown out of a house he was renting in lower Naguru, a Kampala suburb, for failing to pay rent for four years.
According to the tenancy agreement he entered into with the landlord Lamba Enterprises in 2008, Mr Ringa was obliged to pay $800 (about Shs2 million) every month for the house on Plot 25, Ntinda ll Road.
Libra Court Bailiffs, led by Mr Bonnie Rwamukaga, stormed the home on Friday afternoon to attach the former minister’s property to recover more than Shs97 million in rent arrears.
Pleas from Mr Ringa to be given more time fell on deaf ears as the bailiffs started carrying out his personal effects. “Please, please, give me at least a week or two to sort myself out and find somewhere to move. Where shall I take my family now?” Mr Ringa said.
However, Mr Rwamukaga said: “Ours is to enforce a court order [and] not to give extensions.”
The court bailiff gave the former MP 14 days within which to pay up or they would sell his property. “We shall go ahead and sell your property by public auction to recover our client’s money and if we do not raise all of it, l’ll seek an arrest warrant for you,” Mr Rwamukaga said.
In an interview, Mr Ringa said: “These people have acted in bad faith. I was never served any notice and I have been communicating with the landlord’s lawyers. Actually the landlord is my friend; we used to work together at the ministry.”
When probed further on who the landlord was, Mr Okumu answered: “Mr Christopher Obey.” Mr Obey is the interdicted principal accountant in charge of pensions, who is currently on trial in the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of swindling pensioners’ money.
The warrant to attach was issued by Deputy Registrar of Nakawa High Court Henry Twinomuhwezi.
About Okumu Ringa
MP for Padyere County Nebbi District 2001-2006
Minister of State for Public Service 2001 – 2006
He was a prominent business man and majority shareholder in Afro Motors, a company that imported Peugeots.
