Roadworks to leave many unemployed 

About 1,000 people are on the verge of losing their livelihood from sand mining and stone quarrying activities on Kiyoora Hill to make way for the construction of the Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi tourism road.
Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the Media Relations Manager at the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra), said the roadworks are set to begin this month.
He said the contractor is expected to be given the right of way to mobilise personnel and equipment, establish a camp, and prepare for civil works.

“The construction of Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi road shall begin this month and it will be implemented together with the Kisoro-Mgahinga road in Kisoro District altogether making 33kms. Illegal occupants must vacate since a significant right of way has been acquired up to 93 percent of Kabale- Lake Bunyonyi Road and 87 percent of Kisoro-Mgahinga Road. We, therefore, expect no delays in the implementation of this project and all its components should be delivered within the set duration,” Mr Ssempebwa said on Tuesday.
The leader of one stone quarrying group, Mr Tanazio Banyenzaki, expressed concern over the lack of consideration for tenants who have been deriving their livelihoods from the land for more 50 years. 

“While we welcome the government programme of tarmacking the Kabale-Lake-Bunyonyi road, we appeal to the government for special consideration i.e. providing us with alternative workplaces because stone quarrying has been our only source of livelihood,” Mr Banyenzaki said.

Mr Nicholas Niwamanya, a leader of another group, asked government for an alternative source of income.
“We have been employing about 80 people at our stone quarry each earning between Shs10,000 and Shs15,000 per day. Once the construction begins, all of them will be jobless yet they have family responsibilities like paying school fees for their children,” he said.

Mr James Mwesige, a dealer in the construction of buildings, said interfering in the stone quarrying and sand mining business has already led to increase of the price of hardcore and aggregate stones because the lorry drivers have to move to distant places to get construction materials.
“The price of a lorry trip of hardcore stones has been Shs70,000 because the source was nearer to Kabale Town. Now that the lorry drivers move to distant places, the price has increased to Shs100,000 minus transport costs. We appeal to the government to provide access points on the same hill as they construct the road to save the situation,” Mr Mwesige said.

The Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Mr Godfrey Nyakahuma, said the project-affected persons should officially petition their offices for possible redress.
He said landowners should vacate the land to give way for the contractor before their investments are demolished.