Evicted families demand sh1b from Islamic University

By Andante Okanya

A group of 187 people representing households that were evicted from houses in the city suburb of Nsambya, have sued Islamic University  in Uganda (IUIU), demanding sh1.4b compensation.

On April 2, they filed a civil suit at the civil division of the High Court in Kampala, claiming they were forcefully evicted last year on June 2 by agents of the university.

The aggrieved claimed to have occupied Plots 10 to 20, on Kibuli Road. They accuse the university of dishonesty, saying they reneged on an earlier arrangement in a letter dated March 5, 2013, meant to ascertain the status of the occupants.

“The above (eviction) was carried out despite an undertaking by the defendant in a letter written to the plaintiffs in which the plaintiffs had undertaken to verify the bonafide tenants with a view to determine their occupation,” the plaint reads in part.

The aggrieved also accuse the university management of ill-will. They cite a number of correspondences between the evictees association and the university’s liaison officer.

Through Kusiima and Company Advocates, they claim to have lost property during the eviction that they say was effected in the absence of the heads of the families.

Additionally, they are demanding costs of the suit. The costs of a suit are determined by court after a bill of costs is drawn when a case is concluded.

Court is yet to summon the university  management to explain. The case file is yet to be allocated, and a hearing date is yet to be scheduled.

The university has its main campus in the eastern district of Mbale. It has two other branches in Kampala (Kibuli  branch), and a females-only campus in Kabojja, off Entebbe road. The Arua campus is located in Arua town.