Bar owners in Mukono Municipality reveals selling off some of their properties such as bar belongings, land and residential homes to clear the accumulating rent for buildings and loans acquired to boost their businesses before the declaration of first covid-19 lockdown.
President Yoweri Museveni ordered closure of bars and night clubs during his declaration of the first covid-19 lockdown in the country, however, bar owners in Mukono say his decision placed them between life and death.
Aloysius Ngobya, the proprietor of Arona Sport Pub in Seeta, Goma Division says at the time bars were closed, he had acquired a bank loan of shillings 25million to beautify his bar and stalking more expensive brands of alcohol.
However, six months back he surrendered his residential house at Kauga to the bank and it was sold off for failure to settle the debt before he shifted into a temporary house made of timber where he is currently staying with the family.
Apart from struggling to feed the family, Ngobya last paid shillings 3million for three months’ rent fees of the building housing his bar in March 30, 2020.
Another bar proprietor Jesca Nalwadda of Maticono Pub Kigombya was thrown out of the residential house after failing to pay rent fees.
A single mother of five children opted to staying in her bar, although she claims not operating it, security operatives have charged her twice for opening the bar. Her rent arrears for the bar have accumulated to shillings 12million after spending 17 months without paying.
“Police charge you even if you happen to sell beer to people taking home, I lock up myself in the toilet and cry in the absence of my children whenever I see them staving. The government is only caring for musicians forgetting that it is in our bars that they used sing.”
Nalwadda has sold away four television sets, three refrigerators and two pool tables. She is not alone, also Dona Violet of Dona Pub Nasuuti, says the lockdown left her with no other option but selling off two pool tables and two refrigerators at cheaper prices to meet survival.
Ronald Bogeere the owner of Club one and bar along Kampala-Jinja highway says used to employ over fifty workers distributing alcohol in four bar sections of the club, bouncers, DJs, machine operators and cleaners but they starving at their rented houses.
The Chairperson of Mukono Bar Owners and Proprietors Association Denis Ntege they have advanced a request through the Resident District Commissioner Fatumah Ndisaba to the president at least allow them operate alcohol selling points without opening up the sitting space to attract drunkard but have received any response.
Ntege says they have so registered about five of their members who have sold off their bars, others are surrendering them to money lenders as security while others have been thrown out of the rented houses.
RDC Ndisaba appeals to bar owners remain calm as the National Covid-19 Task Force continue to find ways resolving to revamp bar businesses and others.
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