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Railway encroachers demand compensation
Issa Bahati ponders his next move after his family was evicted from railway line reserve on July 28, 2014 in Namuwongo, Kampala. Photo | File
What you need to know:
On April 1, URC gave encroachers a six-month ultimatum to vacate and allow government revamp the century-old railway line across the country.
- But a section of encroachers say they lack money to buy alternative land and want government to finance their resettlement.
Encroachers on Uganda Railway Corporation (URC) land in Mukono District have vowed not to vacate unless they are compensated ahead of today’s eviction.
On April 1, URC gave encroachers a six-month ultimatum to vacate and allow government revamp the century-old railway line across the country.
But a section of encroachers say they lack money to buy alternative land and want government to finance their resettlement.
Ms Ritah Nakibuule, a widow and a resident of Namubiru Village in Mukono South Constituency, said she lost her business during the first Covid-19 induced lockdown and lacks money to relocate.
“I have lived in this area for more than 40 years and my husband died five years ago. I had started some small business but it collapsed last year and I don’t have money now,” she said during an interview on Wednesday.
Ms Sarah Kizito, also a widow, said she was evicted from her piece of land 10 years ago and settled on the railway reserve.
“A government official grabbed my piece of land and evicted me. I settled here, but Uganda Railway is also evicting me, where does the government expect us to go?” she asked.
Ms Lovisa Nabuzaale, 59, a resident in Nakisunga Sub-county, said she settled on the railway reserve after being displaced by floods in Bududa District.
“I settled here with my late husband some years ago. I had a small business, but it collapsed and I am not doing any income generating activity,” Ms Nabuzaale said.
Mukono Resident District Commissioner Fatuma Ndisaba asked URC to compensate the affected families.
“I request the government to be considerate and give the widows compensations to help them relocate rather than leaving them homeless and yet Covid-19 affected their work too,” Ms Ndisaba said.
Nakisunga Sub-county chairperson Mubarak Ssekikuubo said: “Government should know that the people they are evicting every now and then are Ugandans and have nowhere to go. Their businesses are struggling and need assistance.”
This is not the first time URC has threatened to repossess its land. 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.
Mr Stanley Ssendegeya, the managing director of URC, said the latest planned eviction is real and will affect many people.
“We don’t really expect any resistance from the encroachers, we have given them ample time to prepare and vacate the railway reserve before the deadline elapses,” he said.
He said they carried out an environmental impact assessment and also engaged a company to do a resettlement action plan.
“The issue of compensation being talked about is just a request which the government may consider or not,” he added.
The people likely to be affected are those staying within a range of 150 metres from the railway line.
The Works Minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, last December appointed a land investigations committee to establish boundaries of all the Uganda Railways land, the status of ownership boundaries of all the Uganda Railways land, establish the status of ownership of URC land and assist the company to repossess the land.
The committee was also tasked to collect documentation for any purported ownership by encroachers, provide monthly investigation interim reports and URC land status report to the minister within 60 days. It was also expected to sensitise residents who encroached on the land.
Background
Amid the first Covid-19 induced lockdown last year, President Museveni called for the revamping of the railway transport to move cargo instead of using trucks.
This was at a time when the country was registering several coronavirus cases from truck drivers from Kenya and Tanzania.
“Stopping cargo is suicidal, but I think cargo by plane and train is much easier, but until we sort this out, I appeal to Ugandans to ‘swallow’ your anger and use wisdom because if we stop the cargo, how will our exports move to other countries?” Mr Museveni asked.
