Health centre evicted as Jinja Muslims fight over land
Some of the medical supplies of Mvule Health Centre that were thrown out of the facility. PHOTO/ TAUSI NAKATO
What you need to know:
- The UMSC stormed Mvule Crescent premises and evicted the health centre that had been put up by Jinja Muslim Club Trustees a few days after a court ruling presided over by Justice Faridah Bukirwa early this week.
Mvule Crescent health centre in Jinja city has been evicted from the contested Muslim land on Plot 11-19 in Jinja South City Division.
This is after Jinja Muslim Club Trustees contended that the land has been its property since 1958, and accused the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) of allegedly trespassing on it by acquiring it a freehold certificate of title.
Subsequently, the UMSC stormed Mvule Crescent premises and evicted the health centre that had been put up by Jinja Muslim Club Trustees a few days after a court ruling presided over by Justice Faridah Bukirwa early this week.
The UMSC lawyer, Mr Erias Habakurama, at the weekend, said “The UMSC has the Certificate of Freehold Title; so, Justice Bukirwa found no merit in issuing an injunction for its use before the main appeal is heard.”
BACKGROUND
Jinja Muslim Club authorities dragged the UMSC to court, but lost on grounds that there was no substantive evidence to prove right ownership of the land.
Monitor has established that Jinja Muslim Club trustees have been renting out the land to the health centre, while UMSC also uses the land as a prayer ground, especially during Eid.
Mufti Shaban Ramathan Mubajje displays a land title that houses Mvule Health Centre. PHOTO/ TAUSI NAKATO
After losing the first case to UMSC, the Jinja Muslim Club Trustees appealed against the ruling and requested the UMSC to stop conducting any activities, including prayers, pending a court ruling, which was dismissed by Justice Faridah Bukirwa.
Jinja District Khadhi, Sheik Ismail Adi Basoga, said: “We are happy with this step towards securing our land, and I urge all Muslims to continue using this ground for prayers.”
