UGANDA, Jinja | Real Muloodi News | A dispute has emerged between Jinja Regional Referral Hospital and Jinja City Council over a property sale involving a colonial-era building. The contested structure, located on Plot 47, School Lane, near Jinja Senior Secondary School, has been used as staff housing for hospital employees for decades.
The controversy began when the Jinja City Land Board advertised the property sale in newspapers, attracting multiple potential buyers. Hospital officials, led by Director Dr. Alfred Yayi, strongly oppose the move, citing the need for staff accommodation and future hospital expansion.
“I request that this plot be reserved for staff accommodation and other developments to support public health service delivery. Efforts are already underway to formalise the hospital’s ownership,” Dr. Yayi stated in a formal petition to city authorities.
Legal Aspects of the Property Sale
Despite the hospital’s objections, Jinja City Land Board Secretary Abubaker Kirunda Menya defended the property sale, confirming that the process is already in progress.
“The property was advertised, and several interested developers have responded,” Menya stated in a letter explaining the board’s position.
Legal expert Frank Bwire noted that, based on available documents, Jinja Hospital’s lease expired in 1994. He stated that the hospital no longer has a legal claim to the property due to the failure to renew its lease.
“If the documents I have seen are genuine, Jinja Regional Referral Hospital ceased being referred to as a sitting tenant in 1994 lease expired, and they did not renew it. They haven’t been paying any rent or ground rent, so they slept on their jobs,” Bwire said.
He advised both parties to seek a resolution, adding, “If Jinja Hospital still has an interest in this property, they should reapply to the Council formally for consideration. Otherwise, the City Land Board was right to advertise it.”
Bwire also explained that under the law, a notice to sitting tenants is only required if they have met their financial obligations, which he alleged the hospital failed to do.
Tensions Escalate Over Property Sale
Jinja Hospital’s management board, led by Chairperson Dr. David Charles Mukisa, has issued a warning to Jinja City Council, threatening legal action and mass protests by healthcare workers.
Dr. Mukisa criticised Town Clerk Edward Lwanga, who serves on the hospital board and the city council, for failing to mediate the conflict.
“We expected Lwanga’s position to bridge the gap between the hospital and the city council, ensuring cooperation rather than confrontation,” Dr. Mukisa said.
Hospital officials have also threatened to withdraw certain services provided to Jinja City Council, including mortuary services if the city proceeds with the property sale.
“For decades, we have provided mortuary services for the city without compensation. The least they can do is respect our institution rather than grabbing our property under dubious technicalities,” Dr. Mukisa stated.
The dispute has placed Jinja City Council’s leadership under scrutiny, with allegations of land grabbing and corruption emerging.
Peter Kisambira, a hospital board member and Chairperson of the Finance and Development Committee, condemned the property sale, stating that corruption is affecting Jinja’s public properties.
“We are tired of mafias sitting behind computers, identifying and fraudulently selling off public properties for personal gain. Mafias are soon taking over Jinja City,” Kisambira declared.
Historical Context of the Property Sale
Documents indicate that the contested property originally belonged to Narian Singh, who obtained a 49-year lease in 1947, which expired in 1994. No entity or individual has since applied for a renewal of the lease.
The property was assigned to Jinja Hospital staff in the 1970s after President Idi Amin expelled Asians from Uganda. Since then, hospital staff have occupied it as staff quarters without formalising ownership.
Jinja Hospital possesses several other properties acquired in a similar manner, including a deteriorating building near Nalufenya Children’s Ward and another on Gabula Road that has not been renovated since the 1970s.
Hospital board member Kisambira alleged that five prime properties previously owned by the hospital have been taken over by unidentified entities.
Jinja Hospital has faced multiple land-related disputes in the past. In 2024, the hospital was involved in a conflict with the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) over a contested plot near the hospital and a Muslim cemetery.
The Uganda Land Commission later resolved the issue, allocating 0.5 acres to the UMSC for funeral parking.
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