Residents of Lwengo, Rakai, and Kyotera districts have protested
the irregularities in the valuation process of the East African Crude Oil
Pipeline project.
Total Uganda contracted NEWPLAN Limited to carry out the mapping
and valuation exercise. It rolled out operations around April 2018.
In Lwengo district, at least over 150 households in Lwengo Town
Council, Lwengo
rural and Ndagwe sub-county claim the company failed to follow guidelines of such
a big project which may affect the whole process.
Cosma Kyebanja, one of the Project Affected People (PAPs) in
Byangiri village in
Kitto parish, Lwengo Rural, says they are being harassed and forced to sign
different forms without clear explanation.
He adds that they were also told to fill the valuation forms using
a pencil, and then sign in ink.
//Cue In “Mu kubalirira
//Cue out:.kalaamu nkalu.”
Vincent Kasajja of Byanjiri village in Kitto parish will lose banana
plantations over two acres, a fish pond, in addition to cassava, avocado trees.
The pipeline path is about 13 meters from his house but says that the
valuers did not record it for compensation.
//Cue In: “Bbo speed azabwe…
//Cue out: tanzikiriza oluusi kusomako”
His wife Annet Nankasi expressed worry that they may suffer huge
losses due to the mismanaged process.
//Cue In: “Obuzibu bwetwasanga…
//Cue out:………kumukulawo kati mangu”
John Tamale Kanagoba, the Kito Parish Chairperson says that
residents claim that the company workers often take advantage of illiterate residents, especially the elderly, to manipulate figures.
He further notes that in some meetings, company’s valuers trick
the Local Council (LCI) chairperson to stamp and sign empty forms without
explanation which has posed many questions.
//Cue in “Nafunyeko message…
//Cue out…era abantu beralikirivu.”
George William Mutabaazi, the Lwengo District Chairperson, says
that it was discovered that the company did not document some of the resident’s
buildings including residential houses mosques, eucalyptus trees, plus food
plantations namely banana, coffee, maize, and beans for compensation while
others are undervalued.
He explains that the company supervisors and workers secretly
visit affected communities without notifying the district leaders.
//Cue In “Mbagambye tebagez
//
Cue out:…mugezeeko awalala.
In Rakai, Robert Benon Mugabi, the LCV Chairperson, says
that several households in Lwanda and Kifamba sub-counties share a similar
plight.
Mugabi further noted that district leaders are not fully involved
in the exercise.
/Cue In: “Involvement yababntu…
//Cue out:…eyingire munsonga zino.”
NEWPLAN’s Public Relations Officer Daniel Walusimbi referred us to
Total Uganda for
further inquiries about residents’ concerns. He says they make daily field reports
and submit them to Total.
A Total Uganda official, who preferred anonymity, says that they
have received several
complaints about NEWPLAN. He says that if they mess up the project Total may be
forced to cancel their contract.
He says that each property that is destroyed must be valued
fairly.
“When the subcontractor works contrary to the set guidelines, it
is the main
contractor’s image which is tarnished,” he stated.
Davis Buyondo
Freelancer