City businessman Sudhir Ruparelia has distanced himself from any dealing with UMC Victoria hospital saying his Victoria University does not operate the hospital.

In May, Internal Affairs minister, Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, directed all labour export firms to take their clients to UMC Victoria hospital for body organ testing before going abroad for greener pastures. This was to minimize cases of the illegal internal tissue extraction.

Several media reports have since linked the Bukoto-based hospital to Sudhir’s Ruparelia Group.

However the tycoon has said that he does not own Victoria Hospital and reports claiming that it is his, should stop the propaganda and stop dragging his name into their drama.

“Ruparelia group has never been involved with Victoria Hospital nor what is now known as UMC hospital. Stop this propaganda.”

The labour export companies under their association of Uganda Association of the External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA), through their chairperson Baker Akantambira, petitioned the Minister of Gender Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi complaining about the new development insisting the hospital’s actions were illegal.

In response to Akantambira’s petition, Amongi told Otafiire to get back in his line of duty and stop meandering in her lane. She noted that her ministry is the one responsible for negotiations and regulating migrant workers in the country.

Amongi told Otafiire that her ministry had already signed several agreements with the Gulf Cooperation Council which is responsible with supervising all workers seeking employment abroad especially in Arab countries.

She further revealed that during the signing of the agreement with Gulf Cooperation Council, a list of selected hospitals were assigned to test internal organs of workers.

Amongi told Otafiire that he cannot just come up and all of a sudden recommend only UMC Victoria hospital.