Landlords face up to one-year jail time for unlawful eviction of tenants following the Parliament’s Physical Infrastructure Committee’s approval of a government proposal.
The proposal is carried in a report on the Landlord and Tenants Bill that was presented to parliament by Committee Chairperson Robert Kafeero Ssekitoleko on Wednesday.
Government proposed that where a tenant fails to vacate the premises after notice, the landlord shall apply to a court for an eviction order instead of a forceful eviction.
The bill also provides that a landlord who evicts a tenant outside the provisions of the law commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding five million Shillings or imprisonment for one year, or both.
During the committee meeting on Wednesday, Hon. Ssekitoleko said that his committee was satisfied with this proposal from the government since it intends to protect tenants from the rampant arbitrary and forceful evictions by landlords. He said that the set penalties will go a long way in ensuring that the rights of tenants are respected, and their security of occupancy guaranteed.
