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Govt for third time fails to evict railway encroachers
Some encroachers on Uganda Railway land in Namuwongo, Kampala on May 6, 2021. PHOTO | ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Mr Robert Ssozi, a councillor representing Nantabulirwa Parish at Mukono Municipal Council, said government should first find an alternative place to relocate the affected residents like they did with landslide victims in Bududa District, eastern Uganda.
Government has for the third time failed to push encroachers off the Uganda Railway Corporation (URC) land, Daily Monitor has established.
Last October, URC issued a public notice extending the deadline for encroachers to vacate by six months, which elapsed on March 30.
This came after many encroachers complained that they needed more time to organise for relocation.
URC wants to repossess its land to support the planned revamping of the century-old railway line across the country.
At least 14,000 people are encroaching on URC land and available records show that only 5,000 have voluntarily vacated.
Ms Betty Nakasi, the Mukono District Speaker, said many encroachers are still reluctant to leave the railway reserve because they want compensation .
“Some people were invited by the URC officials for valuation of their property, but they failed to agree on the exact amount to be compensated, which is a problem now,” Ms Nakawo said during an interview at the weekend.
Mr Robert Ssentongo, the Mukono District deputy Speaker, urged government to expedite the compensation process so that they can buy alternative land.
Mr Robert Ssozi, a councillor representing Nantabulirwa Parish at Mukono Municipal Council, said government should first find an alternative place to relocate the affected residents like they did with landslide victims in Bududa District, eastern Uganda.
Mr Adonia Nzira, the estate assistant-in-charge of Mityana railway section, said he assured the encroachers in a March 25 meeting that there would be no more extension of the deadline .
“We don’t want to use force to evict those people, that is why we gave them ample time to voluntarily vacate. Our surveyors will soon start surveying railway reserves and anyone found there will be an illegal occupant,” he said in an interview yesterday.
The URC managing director, Mr Stanley Ssendegeya, declined to comment on the matter, saying he was busy with office work.
“Please call me later, I am busy,” he said before hanging up.
In a telephone interview yesterday, the Works and Transport Minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, said the plan to evict railway encroachers is still on.
“Nothing has changed, we have given them enough time to relocate to other places and very soon bulldozers will move in to clear all the railway reserves,” he said.
The minister said government will not compensate any encroachers because they are illegal occupants.
He added: “They could instead be the ones to compensate the government for encroaching on its land for a long time.”
In a URC public notice last October, Mr Ssendegeya said all encroachers had been registered and were to leave in 180 days.
“Engagement with them and their leaders will continue and will be concluded before March 30,” he said.
Mr Ssendegeya urged local leaders to stop new encroachers, saying they would be forcefully evicted and prosecuted for trespass.
Background
URC has in the last decade been threatening to repossess its land with little success.
In 2014, more than 80,000 encroachers on the railway line reserve in Busega, Nateete, Nalukolongo, Ndeeba, Kibuye, Katwe, Namuwongo, Kinawataka, Banda, Kireka, Bweyogerere and Namanve were asked to vacate in 28 days to allow Kampala Capital City Authority and URC revamp railway transport in the city.
In April last year, URC gave the encroachers a six-month ultimatum that ended in October and added another six months which elapsed last month.
However, the encroachers are still occupying the railway line reserve to date.
Compiled by Al –Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Jessica Sabano & Barbra Nalweyiso
