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More city traders protest over hiked rent fees
Intervention. Police officers arrest traders who were demonstrating at Nalule arcade in Nakasero, Kampala, on April 8, 2019. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
Kampala. Traders at Nalule Arcade in downtown Kampala yesterday closed down their shops, protesting hiked rent fees.
The traders claim their landlord, Mr Guster Lule, aka Ntake, unfairly increased the rent charges three months ago. They allege that he increased the rent from Shs500,000 to Shs900,000 for smaller shops, while bigger ones, which used to pay Shs800,000, are now asked to pay Shs1.6m per month.
“Ntake has spent over eight years without increasing the rent fee but he has just doubled the charges, which we cannot afford,’’ said Mr Geoffrey Ssekabira, a trader.
Ms Margaret Nantandwe, another tenant, said the new rent charges have hurt their earnings.
“We want Ntake to reduce rent fees because we have tried and failed to raise all that he needs,’’ she said.
The traders said efforts to meet Mr Ntake over the high charges have hit a snag.
Mr Ntake was not immediately available for a comment. Police deployed heavily in case the protest turned violent.
The protest comes just days after a similar one staged by traders at Qualicel, Jamboree and Nabukera malls over rent demands by the landlords.
