Residents of Kawempe Divison in Kampala have protested forceful eviction by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) to pave way for the construction of a sewer line in the area.
Early this year, the NWSC embarked on the construction of a sewer line from Wandegeya trading centre via Makerere University, Katanga, Kalerwe and Bwaise before joining the new treatment plant, under construction in Lubigi wetland.
The new sewer line is aimed at serving the greater parts of Northern Kampala city. When URN visited the area on Saturday, over 200 building structures had been marked for demolition to pave way for the construction of the line.
But some of the residents including Madina Namuga, Regina Nandawula, Med Ssentongo and Justine Namutebi, are protesting the move till they are considered for compensation.
Charles Kayima another resident of Good Hope Zone, said he received information that his house is meant for demolition in a week’s time, but that he has not been informed on how much he shall get as compensation.
Steven Mungi Sserumaga, the Makerere III parish representative at Kawempe division, told URN that there has been little information-sharing between NWSC and the affected residents.
He says a number of property owners were verified by the NWSC on the true ownership of the structures to be affected but that the compensation plan has not been communicated to the residents.
//Cue in: “Let them first …
Cue out: …they will vacate.”//
Phiona Wall, the principal public relations officer NWSC, admits there are 900 people affected by the sewer line, but before any work is done the residents have to be compensated.
She says so far 100 people have been compensated in the first plan including the people in the line next to Lubigi.
According to Wall, some parts of the line pass through a road reserve which does not necessary involve compensating people.
She says while the intention of the project is to improve the sewer line coverage from seven to thirty percent, some parts of the project have been affected by local politicians who keep mobilizing residents to demand compensation.
//Cue in: “Are we helping…
Cue out: …spirit of teamwork.” //
Wall says that originally, NWSC had no plans of compensating residents for the sewer line, but that the residents are being compensated on a free will basis
