Embattled City Arcade traders have decided to take up their rent matters before the High Court Land division seeking to have an independent account on which to deposit their accumulated rent fees, until ownership and management issues regarding three buildings including Qualicel , Nabukeera and Jomboree shopping malls are resolved.
This comes a week after the traders withdrew a similar case at the High Court, on grounds that they would not get a fair hearing before Justice Andrew Bashaijja.
Today the Traders together with their lawyer Elias Lukwago appeared before Justice Alexandria Rugadya Nkonge to present their application, but were unable to do so, as one of the respondents Horizon Coaches had not yet filed its reply.
Justice Rugadya has now ordered all parties to file written submissions including a preliminary objection regarding the competence of the traders application, after which she will would give her ruling.
However the Judge has refused to grant permission to Lukwago to cross-examine businessmen Drake Lubega and Mansur Matovu saying this might pre-empt the main case before her, in which Horizon Coaches sued the duo for illegal occupancy of its buildings.
Meanwhile the Uganda Bus Operators Association Limited is also claiming ownership of Qualicel bus terminal and it has issued a rent demand note dated 15th/April 2019 to traders operating in the building.
The chairperson Uganda Bus Operators Association Hamim Ssetongo claims he holds the legitimate tittle of the building.
