Phaneroo says mediation underway amid accusations of blocking access to Uganda Heart Institute Naguru hospital

• Phaneroo denies blocking access to the Uganda Heart Institute, calling allegations baseless.

• The dispute centres on an emergency access road for the new Naguru hospital.

• Health minister Jane Aceng has urged both sides to resolve the matter through dialogue.

Phaneroo Ministries has responded to recently revived accusations that it is blocking a key access route to the new Uganda Heart Institute (UHI) facility under construction in Naguru.

In a statement, the church, led by Pastor Grace Lubega denied claims of frustrating progress at the key health facility and revealed that a government-led mediation is ongoing to have the dispute brought to rest.

The dispute centres on a proposed emergency access road to the specialised hospital, which will have 250 beds, 40 intensive care unit beds and a training institute. 

The route reportedly passes near land occupied by Phaneroo Ministries

The Uganda Heart Institute, through its executive director John Omango, raised concerns about access during the project’s groundbreaking last year, stressing the need for multiple entry points. 

Omango told Ministry of Health officials that the church, which acquired its plot on the Naguru parcel much later, could not be allowed to block an access road to the health facility.

“An institute of this magnitude cannot have a blind spot. We need both roads so that when there is a problem with one side you have access through another side,” he said.

Phaneroo Ministries, however, said allegations circulating on social media about a land dispute and obstruction of access are “baseless and premised on ignorance of the true facts.”

The ministry said it supports ongoing discussions under the Naguru Medical Hub Development Masterplan and insists there is no deadlock. 

“We believe in a mutually beneficial co-existence with our neighbours in Naguru. Therefore, it is not true that there is a deadlock when engagements are on-going,”

Phaneroo also maintained that it legally acquired its land and is not aware of any irregularities. 

“Phaneroo, like any other legal entity in Uganda, has every right to acquire and develop property anywhere in Uganda. We are not aware of any irregularities concerning our lawful acquisition of the said land at Naguru,” the statement adds.

The church further distanced itself from claims of blocking development, saying: “It would, therefore, be inappropriate to accuse Phaneroo of delaying the Heart Institute’s developments when we are not in charge of the above process.”

Phaneroo said there is an ongoing government-led mediation involving the Ministry of Lands, Kampala Capital City Authority and other stakeholders to address the road network under the masterplan.

One such meeting, they said, was held on March 17th and attended by both the heart institute officials and representatives from the church.

“Given that there is an on-going government-led process and dialogue with us as affected developers, it would be premature to suggest that dialogue has failed,” the statement says.

Earlier this month while appearing before parliament, health minister Jane Ruth Aceng urged both parties to resolve the matter through dialogue, stressing the national importance of the heart institute.

“That issue has been brought to my attention. The best is for the two sides to sit down and negotiate because as a country, we need the Uganda Heart Institute,” she said.

She added that the institute is only requesting a small piece of land to establish critical infrastructure, and that the matter should be handled with urgency and cooperation.

The issue has sparked strong reactions online, with some users accusing the church of prioritising its activities over access to a health facility.

Journalist Walter Mwesigye, was first to revive the debate online, writing, “Phaneroo leadership is blocking efforts of the Uganda Heart Institute to access an emergency route… when they have prayers they close off Naguru road blocking access to Naguru hospital.”

Another user raised concerns about traffic disruptions, saying large gatherings often block roads and could delay emergency cases. “They block both roads and cause a lot of jam… I’ve always wondered what would happen if somebody has an emergency,” the post read.

Others questioned the broader impact, arguing that a specialised hospital should not face barriers to access, especially in emergencies.