More than 500 families residing in the Manyago Housing Estate, Manyago village, Katabi Town Council, Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso district risk being evicted after their land was fraudulently leased to a third party without their knowledge.
Through their lawyer Stanley Okecho of GEM Advocates, the residents claim they previously petitioned the court and reached a consent judgment granting them priority if the Entebbe Municipal Council ever decided to lease the land.
However, Mr. Okecho alleges that the council has created a new lease for the same land, despite the court judgment.
He explains that when court issued the consent judgement, it directed that the land be evaluated to ensure that sitting tenants know how much to pay.
“Entebbe Municipality has over time claimed that it’s being delayed by the office of the Chief Government Valuer which has since delayed the release of valuations for several leases in this area. This delay has been highlighted by the Auditor General in several other reports and he has indicated that the valuation of the leases should be immediately expedited, having taken a very long period,” said Okecho.
The families say they were surprised to learn that the land, which the Chief Government Valuer refused to give valuation was fraudulently leased to a third party in total contempt of court.
