City traders protest as landlord demands rent for closed shops

City traders have protested a move by one of their landlords who is demanding rent arrears for shops that were closed since the lockdown in March.

In a notice sent to his tenants at the weekend, Mr Drake Lubega provided four bank accounts on which his tenants should deposit the arrears.

“Our dear tenants, we kindly request you to use the following bank accounts for banking your rent as we face Covid-19,” the notice reads in part.

However, the traders say they are unable to clear up because they have not been working for the last three months.

“It was government that sent us home. And while we continue sitting at home, looking for money to buy maize flour, some landlords like Drake Lubega have sent us rent demand notices,” Mr Godfrey Katongole, the chairman of Arcade Traders Association said.

“If I have not worked, it means I won’t be able to pay. We are asking for a waiver for the three months,” he added.

When contacted, Mr Lubega said he was not targeting traders but all his tenants.

“I did not write to only traders but to all my tenants. I am involved in several businesses, including manufacturing, so I wrote to all my tenants indicating the bank accounts which they can reach me,” Mr Lubega said.

He added that he was willing to forego the rent arrears if the government prevails over commercial banks on loans.

The rent notice comes at a time when a section of traders have petitioned the High Court in Kampala seeking its intervention not to pay the arrears.

President Museveni has in previous televised national addresses on Covid-19 updates requested landlords not to harass tenants.

The President said the two parties can come to an agreement on paying the rent arrears when the tenants resume work.