By Kenneth Wamatoyi
JINJA
Jinja Regional Referral Hospital staff are likely to sleep at work or lose shelter as a contentious dispute has erupted between the renowned government health facility and Jinja City Council over a building which accommodates the critical medics.
The city council has put on sale the colonial-era property Jinja hospital has used for decades as staff quarters. The move has left health workers in dilemma, facing an uncertain future.
Located on Plot 47, School Lane, in Jinja city, the ageing house was recently advertised in newspapers with the Jinja City Land Board calling for potential buyers to take on the property.
This has prompted hospital chiefs led by, Dr. Alfred Yayi, the hospital Director to raise concerns about its ownership. Dr. Yayi urges city authorities to spare the building, citing the need for staff accommodation and future expansion to enhance healthcare services.
“We are not just fighting for a building; we are fighting for the well-being of our staff and the community we serve,” Dr. Yayi said.
The hospital management board has threatened legal action and mass protests by health workers if the sale proceeds.
“This is not just a matter of property; it’s a matter of prioritizing healthcare over financial interests,” said Dr. David Charles Mukisa, Chairperson of the hospital management board.
The dispute has raised concerns about land grabbing and corruption, with allegations that Jinja City Council’s leadership is prioritizing financial interests over healthcare needs.
In his letter dated January 14, 2025, Mr. Abubaker Kirunda Menya, the secretary for Jinja city land board, ordered the property occupants to vacate within 30 days. He warns that breach of the directive, would attract prosecution over trespass.
“The Board shall demand all outstanding rental arrears from any person or Authority who has been collecting rent since the time of lease expiry. Failure to adhere to this undertaking shall tantamount to criminal trespass, abuse of government property and defrauding government resources to their detriment or costs,” reads Mr. Kirunda’s letter in part.
Mr. Kirunda stated that: The property was leased to Mr. Nariam Singh of P.O. Box 73 Jinja in February 1947 for 97 years and its lease expired in 1994 without application for renewal hence the property reverted to the Lessee [Jinja City Land Board].
As the standoff continues, hospital staff and the community remain anxious about the outcome.
“We urge the city authorities to reconsider their decision and prioritize the needs of the hospital and the community,” said Peter Kisambira, a board member at Jinja Hospital.
The fate of the historic property remains uncertain, leaving the future of hospital staff and the community hanging in the balance.
A previous land dispute between Jinja Regional Referral Hospital and the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) was resolved after the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) intervened, directing the UMSC to vacate the disputed land.
In a show of goodwill, the Ministries of Health and Lands, led by Hon. Judith Nabakooba and Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, mediated the dispute and donated 0.5 acres to the Muslim community for use as a parking space during funeral ceremonies.
