Our Snoops have learnt that a section of City Landlords have issued a rent waiver on tenants for the period that they were not carrying out operations due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
The development comes after the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) and umbrella organisation that brings together tenants within the city, sued landlords over rent and other utility arrears such as water and electricity during the lockdown.
The Plaintiffs (KACITA) filed the court petition through their lawyers of M/S Ortus Advocates on the June 4th, 2020 at the Civil Division of the High Court of Uganda under Civil Suit No. 132 of 2020.
Among the demands they made, the tenants asked for a waiver on bill payments ranging from rent to utilities for the time period they were not working. It is from that background that a section of landlords have concluded that it is in everyone’s interest to annull rent payment from March to May.
There was a meeting with Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde where she met a section of Arcade owners to discuss re-opening. According to a document that our Snoops have accessed, KACITA thanks some ten landlords for waivering the rent.
These landlords are;
1. Mr Kananura Donat owner of Leisure Tec
2. Mr Bugembe Vincent, owner of God Is With Us in Natete
3. Mr Lwanga Richard, owner of several buildings in Kampala including Kisenyi Plaza
4. The Landlord of Vinco Arcade
5. The Landlord of Jemba Plaza
6. The Management of Carlifornia Arcade
7. The Owner of Nalule Arcade
8. Mr Ddembe Lukyamuzi of Ddembe Arcade, Kikuubo
9. Tycoon Muto (Kaliisa Moses) has forgiven tenants the three months rent on all his buildings. (He owns over 30 commercial buildings located in Masaka, Kampala and Mbarara and all tenants are equally forgiven).
10. Equatorial Mall – only April.
KACITA thanked the landlords for what they termed as great sacrifice, kindness and unbelievable levels of humanity. They encouraged the other landlords to pick a leaf and forgive the tenants for all or some months.
“However where it is not possible, tenants please do not antagonize your landlords, take it in good faith and request for a more lenient payment plan, as many of those landlords have huge bank loans seated on those buildings. So engage humanity for humanity talks!” The Statement said.
