Eric Kanyange, another resident notes that he had been given a compensation number with his property valued at Shillings 51 million and has all the documents but he was surprised to find that his name and reference number were missing on the list of people who were due to collect their monies.
As the long awaited compensation of people occupying land
designated for the multimillion Bukasa Inland Port project kicks off, the Project
Affected Persons-PAPS are demanding that government offers them alternative
land for relocation before they vacate.
The development of the project has
dragged on since 2015 because of contention on
the ownership of 500 acres of land earmarked for the project in Bukasa in Kira
Municipality.
It took time and investigations for government to pronounce
that the land in question was a gazzeted forest reserve that was illegally
encroached.
However, for the good of the residents, government decided to give
the settlers a token to cover their properties. This
week, the Works Ministry started validating the
over 2870 project affected persons for compensation.
However, some of the
residents say they may not vacate the land even after being compensated because
they are still waiting for the land they were promised to relocate too.
The Bukasa LC I Chairperson, John Kaddu notes that during their
final meeting with President Yoweri Museveni in statehouse, they accepted to
receive compensation for properties excluding land after being promised that
government was to offer them alternative land.
//Cue in: “Emirimu gya government…
Cue out…webiyinza okudda.”//
Eric Kanyange, one of the Project Affected Persons, says
although they are in support of the project, they can only relocate when they
have an area to go as promised by the government.
He adds that they will not
reject the property monies since they are planning to use it in constructing
new homes in whatever area they will be allocated to.
//Cue in: “Ekyamazima tuwagira…
Cue out…kati nkalinze.”//
Waiswa Bageya, the Works Ministry Permanent notes that the
said the alleged relocation land is unknown to them. He insists that the Ministry
is only aware of the agreed property compensation having reached an agreement
with the residents that the land in question belongs to government.
Bageya notes that since the residents currently occupying the
land are regarded illegal occupants, government could have evicted them without
giving them a coin but it was the president who sympathized with them and
pledged to compensate them for their property.
//Cue in: “We had a…
Cue out…this was valued.”//
He says to that effect the ministry with the help of the
Chief Government Valuer evaluated the propriety on the land at Shillings 29
billion. Bageya explains that although they have embarked on the compensation
program, only Shillings 15 billion is readily available this financial year.
//Cue in: “We managed to…
Cue out…in the next budget.”//
In the same development, the compensation has been marred by
several challenges as many residents raise red flags of possible fraud. Milly
Namuleno, one of the residents notes that a number of their counterparts with
big shots behind them, have received huge sums of money yet others are
receiving peanuts.
//Cue in: “We remain just…
Cue out…you cannot complain.”//
Eric Kanyange, another resident notes that he had been given
a compensation number with his property valued at Shillings 51 million and has
all the documents but he was surprised to find that his name and reference
number were missing on the list of people who were due to collect their monies.
//Cue in: “kati ngenzekujjawano…
Cue out…kompulyinga.”//
Works
Ministry officials have asked those with complaints
to forward them for consideration. The inland project, which is now behind
schedule, is expected to reduce transport costs and expedite distribution and
movement of goods along the central and northern corridors.
According to the Works ministry, the Port will be constructed
in phases, with the first phase covering preparation of the Master Plan,
Preliminary Design, and construction of start-up infrastructure, Dredging,
Pilling and Swamp Surcharging.
The second phase will see the construction of Bukasa Port to
a capacity of 2.3 million tons per year, shipyard and floating dock. This will
expand to the capacity of 5.2 million tons and the maximum peak of 7.5 million
tons at a later stage. The development plan is expected to be completed by 2030.
