Parliament of Uganda seems to be meaning business this week as it has passed two bills into law this week alone. The latest addition is the Landlord and Tenant Bill, 2018. This Bill was tabled to parliament by Government in February this year and although there have been disagreements by stakeholders that had made progress stall, The House chaired by Speaker Hon Rebecca Kadaga passed it into law during yesterday’s seating.
The Bill has 57 clauses but the one that makes it compulsory for all tenants to pay their rent in Uganda Shillings caused more buzz in the house. Over the years, there have been complaints and some strikes by mostly city traders protesting their landlords charging them rent in dollars. Tenants argued that they transact business in the local currency and do not see it fair to pay rent for their business premises in dollars.
Their plea was heard, and among other MPs, Hon Muhammad Nsereko has been spearheading its debate in Parliament. The ever verbal pronounced himself in Parliament yesterday arguing that Uganda needs to protect the local currency against foreign currency, and suggested that landlords should go to forex bureaus if they want to get dollars and Euros.
The Bill is seen as a way of creating harmony between landlord and tenant. The Bill also requires the landlord and tenant to have a written agreement between them, for rental fees that are Shs500,000 and above a month.