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Unresolved wrangles stall Busega–Mpigi roadworks
A section of Busega-Mpigi Expressway at Lungala Village in Mpigi Town Council where the contractor started works last year. PHOTO | BRIAN ADAMS KESIIME
What you need to know:
- About the expressway. The project is among the roads that had been lined up for construction in 2011, but delays to secure funds for the project and procuring a suitable contractor affected the commencement of the project.
The construction of Busega-Mpigi Expressway, which kicked off in May last year, is expected to mitigate traffic congestion on the Kampala-Masaka highway.
However, the multi-billion project is moving at a snail’s pace with less than 40 percent of works done in 17 out of 30 months allocated for the project.
The 23.7km expressway project is being undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway 19th Bureau Group Company Limited.
Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) blamed the slow construction works on unresolved land wrangles in some villages which have affected their efforts to secure enough right of way for the contractor.
Right of way is the total land area acquired for construction of the roadway.
“We have faced challenges especially on land acquisition and some people have not yet given us the needed documentation to process compensation. This has affected works at some locations along the project,” Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the Unra spokesperson, said during an interview on Tuesday.
Mr Ssempebwa said some of the project affected persons (PAPs) have not yet resolved their internal family wrangles on who should receive compensation while others are still battling it out in court.
“Many cases related to land disputes have been recorded in Mawonve Village. But we are hopeful that the current issues will soon be ironed out so that the contractor gets full right of way,” he said.
He, however, declined to reveal the number of PAPs who been compensated so far.
But by the time the contractor took over the site last year, government had already compensated at least 810 PAPs.
The ongoing construction works started from Katende Village in Kiringente Sub-county and continue towards Mpigi Town Council.
Mr Dirisa Mpagi, the chairperson of Mawonve Village, confirmed that some residents still have cases in court related to land ownership.
“Some [residents] first came to our village court, but when we failed to resolve their issues, they sought redress in higher courts of law. We pray that their cases are expedited to allow the project to move on as planned,” he said.
Many of the compensated residents are in the villages of Kalagala, Lufuka, Police Centre, Mpami-Bikondo, Ggala, Maziba-Nkonge, and Lungala –all in Mpigi Town Council.
In some areas along the expressway like Maya, Nsangi, Nabbingo, and Kyengera, the contractor has not yet started work while in Lungala, Katende, Lufuka, Ggala, and Maziba-Nkonge, construction is ongoing.
Mr Richard Kabuye, the Kalagala Village chairperson, said at least 90 percent of PAPs in the area have already received their compensation packages.
“Those that have not been paid delayed to submit their documents like land titles among others. There are also two families who have issues in court,” he said.
The project, which is expected to take 30 months, will cost Shs540b. It starts at Busega in Kampala and takes a south-westerly direction to Mpigi Town through 21 villages spread in two town councils of Kyengera and Mpigi and Kiringete in Wakiso District.
Some of the villages where the expressway passes include Nakabiso, Kyambizzi-Bulansuku, Mawonve, Kayunga, Mabuye, Nsujjumpolwe, Kololo-Kyeitabya, Muzinda, Katereke, Manja, Masanda, Wakimese, Nkokonjeru, and Nabaziza.
