Sale of Simbamanyo house and Afrique suites was legal - Museveni

In a letter dated 25th October, President Yoweri Museveni responded to to a request by Peter and Margret Kamya asking him to intervene in the alleged illegal sell of Simbamanyo house, the building that houses the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social development.

The couple previously  asked the President to intervene in an alleged illegal sale of Simbamanyo House and Afrique Suites by Equity Bank Uganda

According to the  President's letter accessed by POATV, it contends that the sale of the properties by Equity Bank was legal, hence no need for his intervention by the Head of State.

“Following receipt of your complaint to me about the illegal sale of your properties by Equity Bank, I directed the Attorney General and the governor, Bank of Uganda to investigate the complaint and report back,” i Museveni’s response reads

“I have since been advised that the sale was legal since you had defaulted on payment of the loan and did not deposit the 30% of the loan amount as was ordered by the court.” Museveni’s letter reads in part.

The President, whose letter has been copied to the Attorney General,Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Justice Minister and the Governor  Bank of Uganda, went on to advise the Kamyas to seek court remedies if they feel dissatisfied.

Margret and Peter Kamya claimed that whereas Bank of Uganda directed that there should be sale of mortgaged properties by banks during the COVID-19 pandemic, Equity Bank went ahead and sold their properties at very low prices during the pandemic.

The couple ask says they previously offered to get their own buyers but all their attempts were frustrated.

On September 7th 2020, Justice Boniface Wamala  ordered the proprietors of Simbamanyo house to deposit $3.1m (about Shsh11b) which was 30% in order to avert the auction of the properties.

The businessman failed to meet the 30 days deadline, prompting court bailiffs to advertise the properties.

Simbamanyo House was sold to Ruparelia Groups’s Meera Investments Limited while Afrique Suites at Mutungo in Luzira, Nakawa Division, was sold to Luwaluwa Investments.

The property was guaranteed to Equity Bank Uganda as security for Simbamanyo Estates Limited to get a $10.8m (about Shs36b) loan in November 2017.

Simbamanyo House has been renamed, Gender & Labor House.