Entebbe deputy Resident District Commissioner, Ms Jacqueline Kankunda has given the management of Spennah beach Ltd upto Thursday to vacate the rented premises it has been operating from over illegal stay.
The directive is intended to allow the registered landlord, Mr Steven Kabuye repossess his property, according to Mr Kankunda.
“We (security committee) have met the two parties; the beach proprietor John Asiimwe accompanied by his lawyers and the landlord. We agreed with the tenant to start preparation to leave on Thursday,” Ms Kankunda who was flanked by the area heads of security told journalists after visiting the beach on Monday.
The site visit intended to resolve a longstanding dispute over ownership of the plot of land between Kabuye and Asiimwe followed an October 7, 2022 meeting Ms Kankunda held with the contending parties.
During the meeting, she halted the repossession of the beach by Mr Kabuye citing the arrival of VVIP guests into the country — for Uganda’s 60th Independence anniversary– and lack of enough manpower to provide security.
“As a security committee we set Monday to visit the locus (beach).
We gave him (Asiimwe) many options for him to tell us what he wanted but for now the status quo is maintained. By Thursday, the owner of Spennah beach should find another place to operate from,” she said.
Mr Kabuye’s lawyer, Mr Kenneth Kakande from Alaka and Co Advocates said one of the reasons for asking Mr Asiimwe leave his client’s property was the latter’s alleged attempt to forge titles for the plot of land.
“We got a problem with our tenant on that beach who has spent two years without paying rent yet his agreement expired on August 30, 2022.
That wouldn’t have been an issue, if he had not made efforts to make titles for the land. He involved LCs and other people claiming ownership of the land. However, as law abiding citizens, we sought assistance from police to see him out of our premises,” Mr Kakande said.
According to the tenancy agreement signed on April 3, 2017, a copy of which was seen by this publication, Mr Kabuye, who also owns Peniel Beach Hotel Ltd agreed to let Mr Asiimwe of Spenah Entertainment Ltd rent the beach area of the hotel for a period of five years, from September 1, 2017 to August 30, 2022.
“To my surprise, he tried to take over my land,” he said.
After their meeting, we sought Mr Asiimwe to get his side of the story.
“I will convene a press conference, call you and address that matter,” he said without specifying e date for his press address.
