Africa-Press – Uganda. Hundreds of people affected by the construction of Buhimba-Kakumiro oil road in Bunyoro Sub-region have asked the government to expedite the compensation process.
They have threatened to block the ongoing road project if they are not paid their money.
On Sunday, during an inspection of the 93km road that links Kikuube and Kakumiro districts by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and the Uganda National Roads Authority Executive Director, Ms Allen Kagina, residents said delayed compensation and failure by the contractor to construct access roads to the main roads has affected their daily activities.
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Mr Samuel Tugume, a resident of Nyalweyo Town Council, said he chose to obstruct the roadworks on his land because Unra failed to value and compensate his property.
“I blocked the contractor from carrying out more activities on my land because I have not been paid. They promised to come and value my property but to date I have never seen anyone and the project is almost complete. They are not listening to our concerns,” Mr Tugume said.
Another project affected person, Mr Alaphat Kusiima, asked Unra to consider the skyrocketing prices of basic goods while valuing their property.
“They valued our property including houses and the money had been delayed. You should know that prices have increased and we may not be able to replace our houses. The prices of cement and iron sheets are high and they are giving us meager compensation,” Mr Kusiima said.
Ms Specioza Lubega, the district councillor for Nyalweyo Town Council, said Unra has been keeping a deaf ear to people’s concerns for a long time.
In response, Ms Nabbanja acknowledged that the oil road, which is about 90 percent complete, has been marred by several complaints from the project affected persons.
‘‘The President directed me to come here. We have worked on the road but the President feels that you are not appreciating and yet we have used a lot of money to work on it. People are still complaining. The President has directed me to have all concerns on this road projected rectified,” she told the project affected persons at Kitoole Primary School in Buhimba Sub-county, Kikuube District, on Sunday.
Asked by residents to explain the delayed compensation for some people, the premier said the government did not have money.
“Some people were not compensated and, therefore, the chief government valuer is coming back together with another team to see what happened. We discovered that some of our officials would organise plots within plots of other people to also get compensated and that is criminal and we shall make sure that the law takes its course,” she said.
“On delayed payment, the government did not have money but they are going to be paid in this quarter,” she added.
Ms Kagina said her team will return soon to rectify some of the anomalies.
“I was here with my team in March this year and we noted problems of delayed compensation and lack of access roads but this time round the biggest problem is access roads. I pledge to come back with my team in the last week of July and have all these challenges rectified and we shall give you (prime minister) a report,” she said.
Background
The oil road project was contracted to China Wu Yi Co Ltd at a cost of $138.4 million. The project is funded by a loan from China Exim Bank.
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