Locals protest stalled Malaba Port works

Leaders in Malaba Town Council in Tororo District have protested over the stalled construction of Shs550b Malaba Inland port.

The port was launched in 2006 after the government signed a concession agreement with Kenyan-based Great Lakes Company Limited to enable handling of Ugandan cargo from Malaba instead of Mombasa.

During the project launch, President Museveni said the port would attract investors, create employment opportunities and improve household incomes.

 The former Malaba chairperson, Mr Kalami Asa Orimodi, said his office had written several reminders to government and Great Lakes investors about the project but there was no response.

“We are too disappointed with the government. We strongly believe that the President was duped by a group of smart Ugandans to launch a non-existent project,’’ he said.

In order to pave way for the project, about 200 squatters on the 250 acres of land were evicted.

Mr Peter Sireka Namalwa, the chairperson of Uganda Clearing Industry and Forwarding Association (UCIFA) Malaba, said the port at Malaba would mean Ugandan traders would drive a shorter distance to clear their goods.

 “As Ugandan traders, we face a lot of challenges while clearing goods at the ever congested Mombasa port. We were happy Malaba port would be a solution,” he said.

The local leaders and traders in their October 1 petition to the Office of the first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs say the stalled project is a disservice to the communities.

 The LC3 chairperson of Malaba, Mr Andrew Mugisha Orono, said the project should be realised, adding that it is the only gift President Museveni awarded the Malaba people.

“The issues surrounding the ownership of land are about compensation, which we believe the government is capable of handling so that the stalled project moves on,’’ he said.

During a community meeting at the weekend, locals said if there is an unresolved dispute in relation to land in Malaba, which was acquired by Great Lakes  Ports Uganda, an alternative land can be identified and acquired for the project.

“There is already available land, which is even bigger than the Malaba land within proximity of Tororo Town, which could be used to develop the inland port,’’ Mr James Opolot, a trader, said.

Mr Eriazali Oupat, a businessman, however, said those championing the move to have the project relocated from Malaba are enemies of progress and appealed to the police to investigate their motive.

“Some of us have invested in the construction of rental houses hoping that when the project is complete, we would get tenants but this has hit a snag,” he said.

Authorities say

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Nickson Owole, said the government is still interested in the project.

 “The government will commence with the construction when the dispute over land ownership is resolved,” he said.

Mr Owole said the government has halted all its projects where there are encumbrance on the land to avoid wastage of resources.

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