Court evicts college over sh200m rent debt

Court bailiffs led by Moses Kirunda have evicted Lijif International American College of Health Sciences from a building in which they have been operating for close to five years over a sh200m rent debt.

The three-story building along Old Kiira road belongs to Dhillon properties and has been awarding degrees, diplomas and certificates for courses like clinical medicine, orthopedic medicine, nursing, pharmacy, environment health, records management public health and others.

Kirunda said he received the eviction order from court on May 2, but that he gave the institution some time as students were still doing their examinations.

The College owner, Nelson Yiga, rented the building from Dhillon properties, saying he was going to use it for rentals but instead started a school.

 
Two years ago, Dhillon properties dragged Yiga to the High Court land division after occupying the premises for two years without paying rent, said Kirunda.

Yiga was found guilty by court which issued an eviction order.

A source told New Vision the college has 70 students pursuing different courses and has always been admitting small numbers due to limited space.

The college administration, according to the source, was aware that they would be evicted from the building and bought land and structure in Seeta where they plan to shift all their students.

 
Kiira road deputy police commander, Micheal Kasigile, deployed officers for the eviction, saying it is police's responsibility to ensure that the evicted take their property out of the building peacefully and the building is handed over to the rightful owner.

Students were seen loading their belongings and school materials like computers, dummies, weighing scales onto a truck and left the premises.

New Vision failed to get a comment from the college administrators, students and the property management.