Tenant stranded as landlord plucks out window, ventilator

MBARARA - One man in Mbarara city will forever live to remember at least one memory brought about by the COVID-19 lockdown.

A few days after Mbarara became a city, the situation turned from bad to worse for Akim Sselutaaya, a cobbler who resides in Nyamitanga Division of Mbarara, after his landlord removed a window and ventilator brick over rent arrears of sh150,000.

Sselutaaya said the landlord, Dauma Musafiri, came one evening and ordered him and his family out of the house before removing the window and ventilator.

Sselutaaya, who mends shoes at Bulemba Street, told New Vision that he has been renting that house for more than three years and he has been paying rent promptly.

However, the situation became bad after the lockdown and he could no longer get clients. He, therefore failed to get money to pay rent for the months of May, June and now July. He said, he pays sh50,000 per month and for now he owes his landlord sh150,000.

Sselutaaya says he is also sickly and cannot manage to work until he recovers.

Allan Sendi, one of the neighbours of Musafiri, said: "This man is ever in fights with his tenants almost every month."

Dad Kalyango, the area chairperson, said he received complaints from Sselutaaya and other tenants who claim that their landlord does not issue payment receipts and sometimes he demands double payments.

"President Yoweri Museveni warned landlords against evicting tenants who failed to pay their monthly dues as the country grapples with COVID-19. We cannot allow any landlord to evict a tenant until the same President lifts lockdown," Kalyango said.

However, Musafiri denied the allegations, saying that Sselutaaya is the one who removed the window while fighting with a wife.

Sselutaaya appealed to Good Samaritans to help him clear the areas.