The Under Secretary for the Office of the President, Monica Edemachu has called upon local leaders to take proactive steps in compensating all persons likely to be affected by the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Development Programme (GKMA-UDP).
The project is set to transform the infrastructural landscape of the Greater Kampala area. However, it has already sparked great concern about its potential adverse effects on residents, particularly regarding the acquisition of land for access routes.
Speaking at the GKMA-UDP stakeholder’s meeting at Alvers Hotel in Mukono, Edemachu emphasised the critical need for local leaders to contribute to a compensation fund for all residents affected by the project.
Edemachu made it clear that the government has not allowed the project funds for compensating individuals whose properties will be affected by utilised to access routes thereby placing the onus on the local authorities and communities to find alternative solutions.
“The money we have secured does not comprise working allowances for implementers or compensation for the project affected persons,” se noted adding that the local leaders should mobilise local revenue to ensure community satisfaction but must not interfere with the World Bank funds,” Edemachu noted.
The government secured $566 million (Shs2.1 trillion) from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group to upgrade roads within nine districts and municipalities of Greater Kampala.
Mukono and Wakiso districts were selected for the project’s flagship. However, our reporter has established anticipated setbacks likely from residents’ failure to sign consent forms for access willingly.
Although the District Chairperson, Rev. Peter Bakaluba Musaka committed to working with lower local governments (LC3s) to persuade residents of the benefits of supporting the project, the residents emphasised that compensation was crucial.
This need for compensation arises because some developments approved by both Municipal and district engineers will be affected.
However, Rev. Bakaluba is not very certain about the diversion of local revenue since the district is struggling to realize its targeted figures of revenue collection.
Drake Magambo, a resident of Mukono town, recounts that engineers at both the district and municipality levels have been authorising illegal developments almost in road reserves which is likely to frustrate the project.
“Unless the project is likely to be enforced by the military, people are less likely to sign consent forms for access in areas where they have already established developments,” he says, adding that in some areas, while not specifically road reserves, the contractor will need to encroach on people’s land.
According to Margaret Nabuuma, another concerned resident, the government should have planned the compensation scheme earlier to ease the contractor’s work.
Regardless of the residents’ views, Edemachu noted that the construction flagship will commence as scheduled with the responsibility of clearing the access left to local leaders.
She cited local leaders at Kajjansi who contributed funds to compensate an old woman whose house was constructed in a road reserve to pave the way for development.
So far, the project is set to commence starting with Mukono and Kira Municipalities. Two companies, Stirling Civil Engineering Limited and China Communications Construction Company-CCCC, have been selected to undertake the construction of roads in the area.
Signing of contracts would have been done but the selected companies were queried by fellow bidders for allegedly influencing the process.
However, Francis Byabagambi, the Town Clerk for Mukono Municipality, says that these concerns have now been settled.
In Mukono Municipality, Anthony-Kame, Kame Annex, Albertcook – Cathedral Rise, Kame-Nabuti-Katosi road, Admin Link, Access Road, Link Road (8.68km) were earmarked to be upgraded.
Another stretch is Nasuuti – Nakabago – Ntawo, Bajjo-Seeta, Serado Link, Kigunga Link (9.72km).
In Kira municipality, Mbogo and Cyprian Kizito Road (9.0 km) as well as Kungu-Bivanju Road (2.3 km) shall be upgraded.
Information obtained from the Ministry for Kampala Metropolitan Affairs indicates that a formulated urban development master plan fair draft is currently displayed for public input and the display shall take 60 days.
The arrangement is aimed at improving the infrastructure of the metropolitan centres and surrounding areas outside KCCA, guiding the formation of centres by enforcing land use regulations based on land use zoning, formulation and implementation of drainage master plan as well as promotion of foreign and domestic investment for the manufacturing and tourism sector.
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