By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE CITY
A big disagreement over the payment of Ground and Property rates has erupted between Mbale City Council Authorities and the proprietor of Mbale Resort Hotel.
The disagreement came to the open after Mbale City Authorities deployed three employees of Bangoma Company on Tuesday, 14th May to close a building that among others houses MTN Mbale offices opposite CPS. The building belongs to James Wakadala, the proprietor of Mbale Resort Hotel.
Upon receiving information that his building has been closed allegedly for non-payment of property and ground rates for 2024 totaling to Shs2.8M, Wakadala reported the issue to police and the Bangoma employees were arrested and charged with malicious trespass.
Wakadala later called a press conference at his office on Thursday, 16th May, 2024 at Resort Hotel and showed evidence of payment of the Shs2.8M for the year 2024.
He however, conceded that it is Mbale Resort Hotel that has not paid up its property and ground rates for 2024 saying he did this deliberately because the City Council Authorities wanted him to make the payments in cash.
“I refused to give them the Shs28M in cash because that is pure corruption, I know that all cities receive payments online,” says Wakadala who vowed not to pay that money in cash unless he is provided with a personal regulation number (PRN) code to wire money directly to the consolidated fund.
Meanwhile, the Bangoma Employees; Ibrahim Wasike, Enos Mayeku and Abudala Wugulu were on Thursday, 16th May, remanded to Malukhu prison until 24th May, when they will reappear for mention of their case. They were remanded by Grade One Magistrate, Morris Oburu Ezra.
However, Cassimu Namugali, the Mbale city Mayor has protected Bangoma Company saying it is not contracted to collect ground and property rates as Wakadala alleges but to remind defaulters.
He says that Bangoma Company was contracted by Mbale city to help them in reminding people who have refused or delayed to pay property and ground rates.
Namugali says that all premises of Wakadala were billed together but he asked Mbale City Revenue Department to charge each property independently, which they did.
He says that nobody has stopped Wakadala from paying ground and property rates except that he is trying to default on taxes which the city will not accept.
Mbale city in this financial year of 2023/2024 estimated to collect 5 billion shillings as local revenue but so far they have collected 40% of it due to some staff going to tenants and extorting money from them in form of a bribe to default paying via the system electronically.
