Hundreds of locals could be homeless along Karugutu-Ntoroko oil road over unfair compensations

WORRIED, Ms Mirirani Tingiramurungi stands on top of the debris of her old house in sorrows as she complted her new house in the in background in Karugutu town council. Photo by Felix Basiime

BY FELIX BASIIME

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

NTOROKO: Ms Mirirani Tingiramurungi, 70, has lived in Karugutu town council for most of her life in an eight roomed permanent house along the Karugutu-Ntoroko 55 km road.

However, after Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) in early September 2019 gave a notice to over 80 households living along the Karugutu-Ntoroko oil road to vacate the road reserve in three months time, some of the residents including Tingiramurungi demolished their structures and started building new ones.

UNRA had compensated some but not all residents between June and August 2019 according to Mr Kyaligonza Abubakar, the chairman Grievance Management Committee (GMC) Karugutu Town Council.

Little did they know that after demolishing their structures under fear, the money they were given by UNRA as compensation won’t be enough to put up new structures of the same size or even relocate elsewhere and are now stranded.

“UNRA gave me a notice to vacate early this month, and out of fear I demolished my eight roomed house near the road, but the Shs 28 million they gave me as compensation in June has failed to put up a new structure of 8 rooms just few meters behind in my plot, it is now on the ring beam and money is over” Tingiramurungi in sorrows told Daily Monitor on Friday as she stood on top of the debris holding one of the iron bars left in the strong pillar of her old house.

When i visited most homes along the same road on September 27, the story was the same, all residents have failed to put up new structures and are crying foul over what they say was unfair compensation from government.

Tingiramurungi now lives in a makeshift small room under a tree that she used as her kitchen before.

“I have failed to complete my new structure and am now putting up in that small structure under a tree and when it rains I suffer from coldness, at my age I may die very soon” Tingiramurungi said, adding, “The government valuer was so cunning, he intimidated all of us to sign for the little money and when one would refuse he would threaten that he will deposit your money in court and road works will start, so we signed under duress”

Mr Kiiza David, 60, of Nyabuhura II village in Karugutu town council said he bought the plot along Karugutu-Ntoroko road at Shs 18 million in 2016 without any structures on it but that UNRA gave him the same amount in June when he has a house on it and has failed to set a new house.

“The engineers have computed bills of quantities and labour at Shs 35 million for the new house and I have failed now, so even if I get the money to put up a new house I will have lost my plot” Kiiza said.

Area councilor, Ms Olivia Mutamba said, “People have failed to build new houses in town using the money they got as compensation from government, in town we need well planned houses, the government valuer intimidated and threatened our people to sign for little money, even the disturbance fee was too little as Shs 2 million and things are very expensive now”

Mr Yahaya Tumusiime, the Community Process Facilitator under Kabarole Research and Resource Centre said, “The people fear court, most of them have never stepped in court, so by the government valuer telling then to sign or pick the compensation money from court as works go on was enough intimidation to force the people to sign for little money, these are defenseless and if government does not quickly intervene so many people will be homeless”

In a September 13 letter to the Manager UNRA regional branch, Mr Kyaligonza Abubakar, the chairman Grievance Management Committee (GMC) Karugutu Town Council said, “The cost of the pieces of land of the affected persons as showed by their land agreements were highly undervalued, the government valuer forced the affected persons to consent by signing for the compensations”  

However, when contacted over the threat of eviction and unfair compensation, the UNRA regional manager, Ms Rachael Ngonzebwa said, “We are going to meet the affected people soon and hear their complaints and see how we can solve them; the exercise of compensating is still going on”

Oil roads

Work on some of the 12 oil roads country wide started in April 2018 which all total measure 700kms. The roads are to facilitate the movement of oil and the equipment.

Karugutu lies along the Fort Portal–Ntoroko Road, where it meets the Fort Portal–Bundibugyo Road, west of the Tooro Semliki Game reserve.

UNRA has planned to upgrade the 55.4 kilometres Karugutu–Ntoroko Road (that leads to Kanywataba oil field) to class II bituminous surface, with culverts and drainage channels.

The road designs were completed and works may start in January 2020.

Oil roads under UNRA

Name	Length in Kms				Source of Funds
Paara-Pakwach	21.49
Kisanja Park jctn-Paara	71.27
Rwera-Kaseeta	15.43
Kibaale-Kiziranfumbi	25.11
Masindi-Biiso	48.77
Kyotera-Rakai	19.1
Villa_Maria_Sembabule_-_Lwemiyaga_junction	42.21
Hoima-Kaiso_Tonya	82.69
Lusalira_Nkonge-Lumegere	52.14
Buliisa-Paara	29.05
Sambiya-Murchison falls	12.33
Wanseko-Bugungu	21.22
Buhimba-Nalweyo-Bulamagi	50.49
Kabwoya-Kituti	41.32
Kakumiro-Nkondo-Kijaguza-Bulamagi	40.99
Karugutu-Ntoroko	55
Hohwa-Nyairongo-Kyarushesha	25
Hoima-International Airport

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