Activists have been sending messages of support to one of their own after she was thrown out of a house she has been calling home in Kisaasi in Kampala. The activist has been famous for fearlessly exposing governance and accountability issues in Uganda’s Parliament, one of the third arms of government superintended over by Speaker Anita Annet Among.
Lawyer, activist and journalist Agather Atuhaire has been thrown out of her rented apartment in Kisaasi, Kampala. Her landlord, a professor associated with the administration of a private university, also threw out a friend who had accommodated Atuhaire.
She regretted not preparing herself enough for the troubles that come with activism.
“I should have also prepared myself for the effects of pushing back against impunity in this country. Because, I honestly didn’t prepare myself for this. So a landlord evicts you without even having shame to forge an excuse, you ask for more time to find an alternative he refuses, you’re forced to leave before you find an alternative and you seek shelter in your friend’s house and the same landlord evicts her too after warning her not to host you,” she wrote.
“This time he has a reason; failure to pay rent for April and May on the 1st day of May!! This country bambi you fail properly.”
HOW AGATHER ATUHAIRE GOT IN TROUBLE
On January 28, 2023, Prof Gabriel Nzarubara, the landlord of Gemz Apartments wrote to Atuhaire informing her of his decision to terminate the tenancy agreement she had entered with him for Flat Number Six on his premises situated on Plot 560 Ddungu Zone In Kisaasi, Kampala.
“As per clause 4(c) of the tenancy agreement shall require you to give us vacant possession of the flat within 2 months of receiving this letter. This is to notify you are still requires to pay rent as per the tenancy agreement for this period of notice,” wrote Prof Nzarubara in a letter also copied to the Gemz Apartments manager and LCI Chairman.
“On the issue of refund of security the clause 4(d), (e) and (I) shall determine whether security deposit shall be refunded or not. We thank you dor your period of tenancy and we wish you all the best. We shall be available at the end or the notice period to receive the keys of the premises.”
In another letter, written on February 14, Prof Nzarubara wrote to Atuhaire responding to a request she had made four days earlier. The professor made it clear to Atuhaire that her request “is not granted’ and that she should get ready to vacate the flat before the close of April 2023.
Reminding her that monthly rent for March and April 2023 was Shs900,000, and that monthly rent is paid at the beginning of the month, the wealthy professor emphasized: ‘this is my last communication on this issue.’
On May 01, 2023, Prof Nzarubara wrote to Atuhaire’s friend Celine Kihunde informing her of the termination of her tenancy agreement from the same apartments.
“The purpose of termination is your failure to pay rent for your months of April and May 2023. You are hereby given notice of 30 days to vacate the flat and the landlord shall perform a move out inspection of the premises to check for any damages caused during the course of your tenancy. All your possessions are required to be removed from the premises within the notice period,” the professor wrote.
“Please take note that you’re also required to clear your rent in arrears and any other pending bills/obligations before you vacate the premises. Failure to oblige will prompt further action taken by the landlord in order to recover all outstanding dues.”
AGATHER ATUHAIRE, THE DARING ACTIVIST
A youthful and fearless journalist who previously worked for Andrew Mwenda’s Independent Magazine, Atuhaire is famous for breaking the story of the controversial procurement of Speaker Among’s and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa’s multi-billion ceremonial cars. (See Details Here and There).
Atuhaire also fearless blasted an association of parliamentary journalists for accepting a Shs50m and a car donation from Speaker Anita Among, for ‘worshipping a goddess’ for her money. (See Details Here).
She previously won a prestigious EU human rights defender’s award. (Read Story Here).
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