Mukono-Katosi road claimants still waiting for compensation

 Although construction works on Mukono-Katosi- Road were completed seven years ago, some Project Affected Persons (PAPs)  have not been compensated.    
Information from Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) indicates that so far about 85 per cent of the affected persons have been compensated, implying that 15 per cent are yet to receive their money. 

The additional section of the road between Nyenga and Njeru Town was completed three years ago.
Mr Robert Masajjage, the chairperson of Kiryowa Village in Nyenga Division, Njeru Municipality Buikwe, said Unra officials met the affected persons a year ago.
  “ There is need for the concerned authorities to come and explain to the affected persons why their compensation has delayed,” he said.

Mr Jimmy Okee, the chairperson  of Bukaya West Village Njeru Central Division in  Buikwe District,  said  more than 30 people in his area were affected by the project.
“My office is still receiving complaints from residents who have not yet received their compensation. I have failed to get in touch with the concerned authorities and that is why I advise the residents to go to Nakawa [Unra offices],”  Mr Okee said . 
Mr  Jerevezio Ntanzi, one of the claimants  whose  house was affected by the  road project, said: “Unra  should come out and tell us when they will pay our money we need to plan for our relocation.”

Mr Hamis Munyale, another affected person, said they don’t know whom to approach and make follow up on their compensation because after completing the road  the Unra office in the area was closed.
 But Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the media relations public and corporate Affairs manager at  Unra,  said the  compensation for some people has delayed because of failure to submit supporting documents proving ownership on time.

“Our team has failed to trace some of the property owners. Whenever they go on the ground, they do not find them there. Secondly, some families have conflicts over the property and who should be the head. We cannot decide on who to pay until such issues are resolved ,” he said.  
Some residents have been waiting for compensation since 2011 when the first evaluation of property was conducted.
Mr Ssempebwa explained that assessment and evaluation of property on the Nyenga-Njeru Road section (10km) is ongoing.

“Our land acquisition team is on the ground to carry out fresh valuation because some claimants complained that their properties were undervalued,” he added.  

BACKGROUND
The 74km Mukono-Kyetume-Katosi-Nyenga road connects the towns of Mukono, Kyetume, and Katosi in Mukono District to Nkokonjeru, Nyenga in Buikwe District and Jinja District.
 President Museveni commissioned the Mukono-Katosi road works on  July 7,2014 ,and the project was expected to be completed in 2017.
The contract was first awarded to Eutaw Company, but it was later cancelled by the   Inspectorate of Government after allegations sprung up that Eutaw was a phony company and that the procurement process had been mismanaged.
 
Government   then entered into another agreement with Reynolds Construction Company  to complete the road at  an extra Shs 110b in addition to Shs165b,which had earlier been earmarked for the project. The new contractor was also given additional road sections which were not originally include in the cancelled Eutaw contract .
The new road sections included, tarmacking access roads to Katosi landing site and another connecting to Buikwe District headquarters. Another was  the  10kmNyenga-Njeru road.