According to the eviction notice signed by the board's secretary, Abubaker Kirunda, the land was originally leased to Narian Singh in 1947 for 49 years, but the lease has since expired. Kirunda stated that the property has now reverted to the Jinja City Land Board for further management, meaning all current occupants are residing there illegally.
Jinja City authorities have issued a 30-day eviction notice to health workers residing on Plot 47 along School Lane Cell in Southern Division over accumulated ground rent. The Jinja City Land Board, which oversees the property, says it has repeatedly reminded Jinja Hospital leadership of its obligation to pay ground rent, but no payments have been made.
According to the eviction notice signed by the board's secretary, Abubaker Kirunda, the land was originally leased to Narian Singh in 1947 for 49 years, but the lease has since expired. Kirunda stated that the property has now reverted to the Jinja City Land Board for further management, meaning all current occupants are residing there illegally.
He added that the occupants have never applied for a lease renewal or formally expressed interest in developing the land, prompting the authorities to seek a suitable investor. He also accused the occupants of defaulting on both property rates and ground rent for the past 25 years without justification. Kirunda noted that advertisements for the property were published, and a suitable investor was identified to develop it without encumbrances. He directed all occupants to vacate by March 1, 2025.
However, Jinja Hospital Director Alfred Yayi insists that the property remains under the hospital’s management and should not have been allocated to other developers. Yayi explained that following the expulsion of Indians in the 1970s, former Ugandan President Idi Amin donated 10 houses to Jinja Hospital as staff quarters, including Plot 47.
He maintained that the property was never repossessed in 1993 and that the hospital has continued to occupy it under the stewardship of the Ministry of Finance’s Departed Asians Property Custodian Board. He further stated that they have official correspondence from the Ministry of Finance, which is expediting the process of formalizing ownership to allow for necessary renovations.
Meanwhile, Jinja Hospital Board Chairperson David Mukisa revealed that their lawyer has already filed for an injunction to stop the eviction. Mukisa argued that both Jinja City and Jinja Hospital are government entities working toward a common goal of serving the population, and such matters should not be handled through confrontations.
He emphasized that the property in question is located just 200 meters from Jinja Hospital and houses 20 staff members working in the emergency department. Mukisa added that the hospital adopted this arrangement because it receives an average of 50 critically ill patients daily, many of whom arrive at night. Having staff quarters within walking distance, he said, ensures quicker response times to emergencies.
