Compensation complaints by people affected by the Kaiso-Tonya road construction in Hoima district have attracted the attention of the district leadership.
Government is upgrading the 92-kilometre road linking Hoima town to the oil exploration sites in Kaiso Tonya in Buseruka Sub County.
Work is in its early stages with clearing and grading and also compensation of those affected. However, residents have since expressed dissatisfaction over low compensation rates for their lost property calling for a review of the evaluation exercise.
The unending complaints have now attracted the attention of Hoima district leadership, with the district councilors from the affected areas filing a petition to the district chairman detailing the resident’s grievances.
In a petition dated June 11, and addressed to the district chairman, the councilors led by Naomi Koojo for Kitoba and Buseruka sub counties, asked the district to intervene in the matter as.
The councilors argue that the survey and assessment for this road was made in 2009 and 2010, but compensation has been done this year when the value of the affected properties has appreciated.
The petitioners say a 50 by 100 feet plot of land in Kabaale trading centre now costs 10 million shillings contrary to the two million shillings in 2009 when the evaluation was done.
The councilors asked government to compensate residents at the prevailing market rates, given the appreciation of land in the oil rich area. Although some people lost huge portions of their land and valuable crops to the road, some received as low as 5,000 shillings as compensation.
Koojo says she is also a victim after receiving 19,000 shillings as compensation for part of her three plots of land at Nyamasoga trading centre.
The councilors also demand that some valuable places such as burial sites, churches and schools be given special consideration in compensation.
George Tinkamanyire Bagonza, the district chairman, urges those with genuine complaints to put them in writing and forward them to his office for a follow up.
Uganda Radio Network could not get a comment from Mapcorn Consults, the company contracted by Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA to compensate the residents.
But Dan Alinange, head of communication at UNRA, says the compensation rates were reached at after evaluation and that they are based on the prevailing market rates.
Alinange however urged those with genuine complaints to file them to UNRA so that the compensation rates are revisited if possible. Over 1,500 residents lost their properties to the road project.
