By Davis Buyondo
Kyotera
Total-Uganda is evaluating the residual land of the people affected by the East African Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project in the ten districts within the pipeline route.
According to Stella Amony, the Communications Officer –Total E&P Uganda, has confirmed the exercise saying it commenced in November last year and will be concluded in March this year.
She said that the exercise will cover the 296km from Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Kyankwanzi, Mubende, Gomba, Sembabule, Lwengo, Kyotera, and Rakai districts.
Amony explained that the residual land evaluation had to be done after concluding the evaluation of the pipeline land.
Residual land simply means a small portion of land that remains after taking a bigger piece of land. Usually, this type of land makes no meaning to the owner and can hardly support any realistic project due to the tiny size.
There have been a series of protests since 2019 over the alleged undervaluation of the PAPs’ land, failure to consider the residual land and the delayed compensation.
However, Amony added, the residual land was also considered for compensation only that the PAPs, some Civil Society Organisations and local leaders in different districts within the pipeline route may have not received the information clearly.
However, the exercise has excited the PAPs in Rakai, Kyotera, Lwengo Sembabule especially those with residual portions of land.
Birimuye Ssekyondwa, one of the PAPs in Nabigasa in Kyotera district, said that the valuation of his residual land gives him hope that he will be fairly compensated.
He attributed the PAPs protests to lack of adequate visits and information from New Plan Ltd, which Total contracted to implement the valuation process.
“I am excited that the government through Total has considered our residual land for compensation. This is the news we wanted to hear for a long time. We thought they had disregarded it but thank God,” he said.
Veria Nanyonga, of Kanga LC1 in Betereemu parish in Nabigasa sub-county, said that considering her residual land will offer them an opportunity for fair compensation.
She further appealed to Total to expedite the process to ensure that the compensation for all their assets is done in time.
“We thank the government for the consideration but we also want the compensation to be processed in time. We have waited for so long,” she said.
However, Betty Nabulya, another PAP in Betereemu village, in Betereemu Parish, is skeptical until her land is valuated and fully compensated.
Moses Kasiita, the LCI Chairman for Kijjumba village and one of the PAPs in Lwanda sub-county, says they are happy that government is considering their residual land for compensation even when the process has delayed.
According to Edward Kamya Kabuye, the Rakai Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the PAPs thought the government had disregarded compensation of the residual land which led to protests.
While the exercise began in November last year, Kabuye said that in Rakai it started in December and it is soon to be concluded.
Apart from the delayed compensation, undervaluation of property, Kabuye noted that the PAPs have also consistently complained over the residual land and demanded its valuation and compensation.
“So we deemed it necessary with our development partners to see how best the PAPs can be compensated fairly for the residual pieces of land. The surveyors are speeding up their work to complete in time,” he said.
Kabuye further explained that it is incumbent upon the government to compensate all the PAPs for their properties including the residual land.
He added that they do not want to leave any PAP at a loss since they willingly offered their land for the pipeline project.
He said that it would not be realistic to get complaints when the project is completed yet they adding that they are trying to avoid litigations.
“When the government takes your property, it’s incumbent upon the government to pay you. However, Government’s compensation processes are not simple as that of individuals and they tend to take long,” he noted.
He further appealed to the PAPs to remain calm and wait for the process to be completed and rest assured that they will be compensated by all means.
END
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