Jinja: Jinja Regional Referral Hospital staff are facing an uncertain future as a contentious dispute has erupted between the renowned government health facility and Jinja City Council over a building that has served as staff accommodation for decades.
The city council has put the colonial-era property, which has housed hospital staff, up for sale. This move has left health workers in a state of uncertainty, with the possibility of losing their shelter or being forced to stay at the hospital.
Located on Plot 47, School Lane, in Jinja City, the aging house was recently advertised in newspapers, with the Jinja City Land Board calling for potential buyers.
This has prompted hospital leaders, including Dr. Alfred Yayi, the hospital director, to raise concerns about the building’s ownership. Dr. Yayi is urging city authorities to reconsider the sale, emphasizing the need for staff accommodation and room for future expansion to improve 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 warned of potential 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 gains over healthcare needs.
In a letter dated January 14, 2025, Mr. Abubaker Kirunda Menya, the secretary for the Jinja City Land Board, ordered the property occupants to vacate within 30 days. He warned the hospital authorities that failure to comply would result in prosecution for trespassing.
“The Board shall demand all outstanding rental arrears from any person or authority who has been collecting rent since the lease expired. Failure to adhere to this undertaking shall result in criminal trespass, abuse of government property, and defrauding government resources,” Mr. Kirunda’s letter reads in part.
Mr. Kirunda stated that the property was leased to Mr. Nariam Singh of P.O. Box 73 Jinja in February 1947 for a term of 97 years, and the lease expired in 1994 without an application for renewal. As a result, the property reverted to the lessee, the 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. The ULC directed the UMSC to vacate the disputed land, and 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. They donated 0.5 acres to the Muslim community for use as a parking space during funeral ceremonies.
