The project worth Shillings 18.06 billion was funded by a loan from the African Development Bank-ADB. The three-storeyed market was according to the contract agreement meant to be handed over by November 2019.
Martin Ssali, a councillor representing Kasanje ward to Nyendo-Mukugwe City division says many of his constituents are already regretting some of the unforeseen demands by the new city administration, arguing that these are presenting unprecedented cost implications to residents.
In 2021, the Masaka Chief Magistrate Deogratius Ssejjemba adjudicated the dispute before granting the businessmen permission to occupy the land after proving their ownership. Namawejje indicates that the affected residents have nowhere to relocate their families and allow them to pay off the businessmen.
Dr. Nathan Onyach, the Hospital Director, has confirmed the development saying it followed a complete reduction of Coronavirus Disease (COVID19) cases at the hospital.
Although Total Uganda in a letter dated February 11, 2022, maintains that they have addressed almost all grievances ahead of the Pipeline Affected Persons' compensation, the disgruntled PAPs and CSOs say that little has been done by the company and the said committees to address the escalating grievances.
Rogers Bulegeya, the Masaka City Youth Councilor contends that the quality of works executed on the roads is not worth the value for money allocated to it.
Following the creation of Masaka city in July last year, the Ministry of Local government guided the leadership of Masaka district to work on the process of relocating their administration offices to another location outside the city boundaries.
Francis Winnyi, a Councillor representing Mazinga Parish to Buwunga sub-county says that the absence of staff quarters at Mazinga government health Centre; the only facility in their area, has rendered health workers inefficient because patients cannot be attended to in time.
The leaders have raised reservations in the recruitment process of parish chiefs in the area, questioning the impartiality of a panel that interviewed the candidates.
John Mwebe, the program Coordinator-International Accountability Project (AIP), says Total intended to defraud the affected persons by keeping them in the dark. He explains that the compensation process is not transparent as it was meant to be yet the PAPS who raise their voices are intimidated or arrested.
Led by Emmanuel Lwasa and John Bosco Kissekka, the residents accuse the former Masaka Municipal council of fraudulently selling off their land before transferring it to Mandela.
In his complaint, Kayemba accused Kateregga of using his powers to order residents to raze plantations on the disputed land, and accordingly uprooted cassava, cut down coffee and other trees.
Peter Kayemba, the Makonzi Landing site Chairman, explains that they have been requesting NFA several times in more than three years to allow them to expand their residence and replace their shacks with permanent homes due to increasing congestion and filth.
The committee chaired by the Kimanya-Kabonera Division Member of Parliament Abed Bwanika learnt that the city has under unclear circumstances lost a lot of its properties that including land in green spaces and road reserves.
Yisito Muddu Kayinga from the Community Transformation Foundation Network (COTFONE), attributes the confusion surrounding the oil pipeline project
to poor information flow between the Total, New Plan field teams and
district leaders.
The Ministry of Local government advised the district leadership to relocate the administration offices of the district, to another area outside the city boundaries following the creation of Masaka city in July last year. But the leadership in the sub-counties of Buwunga, Bukakata, Kyesiiga, and Kyannamukaaka, which make up the district are embroiled in a dispute over where the district headquarters should be placed.
Michael Mulindwa Nakumusana, the Chairperson of Nyendo-Mukungwe division in Masaka City is afraid that their efforts to effectively tackle the apparent insecurity situation in the area could be frustrated by the huge number of illegal immigrants who government has not come out to directly control.
The affected persons are mainly pastoralists and peasant farmers occupying more than three square miles of land in Kasange-Kigga village, Kiteredde, Musajja, Muddu, Komoni, Biriinzi, Lutukuma, and Kigo.
At least 100 households use the land for settlement and grazing. The land is a subject of contention between over 200 residents and Nakigga Ranching Farm Cooperative, which comprises 37 subscribers.
