Mubende residents reject govt compensation package

Mubende. At least 300 residents of three villages in Mubende District have rejected government compensation cash for land meant for the expansion and tarmacking of the Mubende-Kakumiro-Kibaale-Kagadi road.

The residents on whose land the road is scheduled to be built, claim their land and houses were undervalued, adding that the proposed compensation is too little to buy alternative land elsewhere.
They have demanded a review of the valuation process.
The affected residents are from Kyerima, Kiyuya and Kawumulwa, East Division, Mubende Municipality.

Mr Samuel Mutumba, one of the claimants, a resident of Kyerima Village, said he was shocked to learn that he was going to be paid only Shs40, 000 as compensation for the portion of land off his 50 by 100 plot.
“We are not opposing the project. We are in full support of it. But we are unhappy with the compensation they are giving us. Once the demarcated portion of land is taken, the remaining part will not help me because the road is crossing in the middle of my plot,” he said.

Mr Andrew Katongole, a resident of Kawumulwa Village, said his piece of land and six roomed house worth Shs20m has been valued at only Shs2,600,840.
“Land has become expensive and it will be difficult for me to use that little money they are planning to give me to buy land elsewhere,” he said
Mr Tonny Ssemuli, the Mubende Municipality MP, urged the affected residents not to surrender their land until they receive reasonable compensation from government.

“It is really unfair for government to give such little money to people whose property faces demolition. Currently, a plot of land in Mubende District goes for Shs4m. So what will Shs2m do for someone whose land has been taken? ” he asked.
He added: “I am going to have a dialogue with Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) so that these rates are revised upwards and people are fairly compensated.”
When contacted, Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the Unra media relations manager, said the Authority is ready to address all complaints raised by residents.

“We are still at evaluation stage and we have not yet started actual compensation. If there are complaints of such nature, we are ready to listen and look into all their complaints,” he said.
Complaints from this particular group of residents come barely a month after another group of 200 residents from seven villages in Mubende Municipality vowed to go to court to challenge their removal from the list of those to be compensated, saying their land has also been marked for the road project.

The affected residents are from the villages of Kibaati, Kasana B, Katawa A, Main Street, Katawa B, Kigalagi and Bukalungi.
Article 237 (1&2) of the Ugandan Constitution states, “Land in Uganda belongs to the citizens of Uganda and shall vest in them in accordance with the land tenure systems provided for in this Constitution. (2) Notwithstanding clause (1) of this article— (a) the Government or a local government may, subject to article 26 of this Constitution, acquire land in the public interest; and the conditions governing such acquisition shall be as prescribed by Parliament.”

A fortnight ago, government introduced a Constitutional Amendment Bill 2017 on compulsory land acquisition.
In the Bill, government contends that it has lost huge sums of money due to delayed infrastructural projects as individuals block projects over little or delayed compensation.
The five-clause Bill seeks to empower government or local governments to deposit with court, compensation awarded by government for any property declared for compulsory acquisition.

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