Masaka road project stalls as locals demand compensation

Residents affected by the planned rehabilitation and expansion of Masaka-Kyotera -Mutukula Road have asked the government to consider them for compensation.

They claim that when the government unveiled its plan to work on the road in 2019, they halted all their economic activities which were taking place in the demarcated route, which has adversely affected their household incomes.

Ms Caroline Naggayi, one of the project affected persons at Nsambya Trading Centre, Kalisizo Sub-county, Kyotera District, said she suspended her plan to erect a rental house in her plot of land because it is located in the demarcated route.

She said ever since Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) officials surveyed and valued their properties they have not got any update on when they will receive compensation.

“We appeal to Unra to consider compensating us so that we can get land elsewhere to resettle,” she added.
Mr Joseph Mujjumba, the chairperson of Kabwooko Village in Masaka District, said many residents, who are affected by the project, stopped developing their land two years ago.

“Some people had purchased building materials, which have since been destroyed by rain water,” he said.

Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the Unra spokesperson, said the government did not make any commitment for payment. He advised residents to resume utilising their land until the government finds funds for compensation.  

“It is true the project is in our work plan though we haven’t secured the funds. So, we advise the residents to utilise their land and when it reaches compensation time, we will carry out fresh valuation and pay them basing on the market rate,” he said.

Affected households 

At least 2,000 residents are expected to be affected by the project. Currently, the road is in a sorry state and motorists take close to two hours to connect to Mutukula border post, a journey that used to take 45 hours.

Mr Mubarak Ssali, a taxi operator on Masaka-Kyotera-Mutukula highway, said motorists negotiate potholes since the surface has peeled off. He said the worst part of the road is the section between Kyotera and Masaka. 

While visiting parts of Kyotera District last year, the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, said the government had deferred the rehabilitation of the highway awaiting funding from the African Development Bank. 

The rehabilitation project will be funded by an AfDB grant under the NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility.  The 96km-road was built in the 1960s to link and promote trade ties and cooperation between Uganda, Tanzania, and the rest of the East African partners.