Land wrangle stalls piped water project in Kyegegwa

Kyegegwa- Access to clean water in Kyegegwa District is yet to be realised as the authorities continue to face off with the owner of the land where the project is to be erected.

Ever since the district was carved out of Kyenjojo in 2009, it has not yet been connected to the national water grid.

The residents rely on boreholes and wells as their sources of water.
In 2012, government embarked on plans to set up a water project on River Katonga to serve Ruyonza and Mpara sub-counties and Kyegegwa Town Council.
However, the project failed to take off after the district failed to secure land near the river for erecting a water tank.

Compensation demand
According to the district leaders, the land owner, Mr Stanley Kabogo, demanded Shs150 million as compensation for the 50 by 50 metre-plot, which they say is exorbitant.

The district chairperson, Mr John Kisoke Byamukama, says efforts to engage Mr Kabogo to lower his asking price have fallen on deaf ears.

“Before I assumed office, my predecessor had engaged him several times and by then, he was asking for Shs50 million, which he later increased to Shs150 million and the district has failed to raise it. I reported the matter to President Museveni and he advised me to leave the man alone and that he was going to handle,” Mr Byamukama says.

While popularising the proposed land amendment Bill in September last year, the President accused Mr Kabogo of being indisciplined by asking a lot of money in exchange of his small piece of land.

“It is now seven years since the project stalled. I cannot allow such indiscipline,” he said on a talk show on Voice of Tooro in Fort Portal Town.

Mr Museveni said land value in all parts of the country is well known but some individuals who want “to loot their own government” hike the rates or reject the value and delay government projects.

However, the President is yet to take action as residents continue to suffer from lack of safe water.

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