The operator of Kigali’s popular bar and restaurant, “Executive Car Wash”, has been ejected from the facility by his landlord after heated misunderstanding over fire insurance.The operator, Woodward Keith, a British citizen, along with his Rwandan wife Josianne Bwiza were evicted by the landlord, Dennis Karera, the former Assistant Commissioner General of Police, on Wednesday, after he reportedly requested for fire insurance as stipulated in the tenancy contract seen by The New Times.The saga followed a fire that gutted the premises on May 27 this year. The fire is said to have been caused by an electricity short-circuit blamed on poor electrical installation. The destroyed property was evaluated at Rwf5 million.When The New Times visited the joint, a pile of assorted food items and bar equipment were packed in the parking yard.Speaking to this paper, Keith, said he was only given 48 hours to vacate the place yet the contract stipulated that the landlord issues a two month notice.“We disagreed on the rent fee when we informed him of need for fire insurance. He had agreed we pay a monthly fee of Rwf1.5 million [without insurance] instead of Rwf2.7 million but he refused to accept and instead terminated our contract later,” Keith lamented.He said they were locked outside for 16 days and most of the food items worth over Rwf500,000 got spoilt.According to Keith, the contract had a timeframe of five years. He started operating in November 2010.When contacted for a comment, Karera said he was handing over to new tenants.“We are settling the matter with the outgoing (tenant). I am just handing over to the new management and that’s all I can say,” Karera, who is also the current chairperson of Rwanda Hotel and Restaurant Association (RHRA), said.Keith and Bwiza have vowed to seek legal redress and have already hired a lawyer.“We have to take the matter to the courts of law; we had a very good reputation in this country,” Keith insisted.
