UETCL, investors in land rows
A car bond in Kampala. Most car bonds have been put up in power line reserves which officials say is excessive and investors have under-looked all cautions. FILE Photo
What you need to know:
The latest land row is over land situated in Kyambogo which has been excavated and all tower lines have been dug and are hanging in isolation
KAMPALA
Power Transmission Company, Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) is involved in land wrangles with investors over development of land earmarked for power lines reserves/way leaves.
The land reserve for the Nalubaale-Lugogo 132 Kilovolts (Kv) line between Banda and Kyambogo has been developed into mostly car bonds and warehouses, which officials says has become sporadic and is a health hazard.
UETCL project implementations manager William Nkemba told journalists last week that encroachments have become “excessive” and investors have under-looked all cautions.
“Our hands are tied here and we are losing all way leaves,” Mr Nkemba said.
The latest land row is over land situated in Kyambogo which has been excavated and all tower lines have been dug and are hanging in isolation. UETCL claims an investor known as “Kings Hero” approached them with plans to establish a car bond which they rejected but he insisted to dig up the area.
“When we called a meeting with the investor to give him a final warning, we were shocked when one official from State House showed up and is apparently behind the investor,” explained Irene Namagembe, a way leaves officer.
A way leave is an easement set aside for for erection and laying of power lines, water pipes and is protected by law.
The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is also contesting development of the same land because it is within a road reserve on the Kampala-Jinja Highway.
Another piece of land adjacent to the Lugogo power national control centre, which hosts power from both Nalubaale and Kiira hydro powe stations, is also being claimed by an investor Al-Malik Azhar, last week on Friday tried to level the area which ensued into to a brief standoff.
Mr Nkemba, noted that this land on plots 6-12, has over the years exchanged hands: from one investor to another, all intending to develop the area but permission was denied.
However, a liaison officer at Al-Malik group, Rogers Amone, told this newspaper yesterday that, they “bought the land in 2008 at Shs500 million” from then Kampala City Council and had the land title issued by the Uganda Lands Commission without any “contestation that behind is a power station.”
“We bought the land innocently with intentions of establishing a car bond but KCCA blocked the plans. We have been all along engaging UETCL who admitted presence of vacant land there, so we’re not wrong in anyway.”
