Row over Muslim property in Lira

Tenants who were allocated space to construct lock up shops on Uganda Muslim Supreme Council Lira branch land and use it for a period of ten years have declined to heed to notice to vacate the land after expiry of the agreed date.

The then district kadhi of Lango Muslim district late Sheikh Ahmad Suwed and his committee offered land for development to a group of tenants and allowed them to put up commercial shops and use it for ten years after which they hand it over to UMSC Lira branch.

In the agreement signed on August 23, 1993, a copy seen by New Vision, after the expiry of the agreement, the developers were to be given priority to rent the premise from UMSC Lira branch in monthly basis.

Shortly after, Ahmad Suwed died and a new district Kadhi, Ratif Angulu came in and the tenants sat him down and came with another agreement in their favour. In the second agreement dated March 23, 1995, it was agreed that the landlord will let and the tenants will take part of the land on a monthly tenancy from June 1, 1995 at monthly ground rent of 25%. That the tenants are permitted to develop the plots to become lock ups for commercial use and they are to be the owners of the buildings.

In August last year, the current district kadhi Sheikh Is'haq Salim Nangoye wrote to the tenants to vacate the area as they are in the process of redeveloping it.

The tenants in their response dated September 18, 2015 sought for clarification on the motive of the district kadhi's letter which has given them a lot of emotional stress, uncertainty and damage to their business.

When this letter was not responded to, they penned another dated October 23, 2015. "…we want to indicate that your letter to us had ill intentions and we wish to bring to your attention that we shall not vacate our lock up shops by the content of your letter,' the letter states in part.

After this, the Secretary for Awqaf (endowment) Land and properties at UMSC head office Dr. Hussein Muhammad Bowa wrote a letter to all the tenants requesting them to vacate as their tenancy agreement had expired to pave way for redevelopment.

In their retribute dated January 29, 2016, the tenants advised the administration of UMSC to desist from intimidation and adhere to the agreement of March 23, 1995 or seek legal redress.

Juma Murungu, the UMSC Lira branch Lands chairperson said they want to redevelop the place to raise money to help widows and orphans.

Julius Peter Ogwang, the chairperson of the tenants declined to comment on the issue when contacted on phone.