KIKUUBE – The State Minister for Works, Fred Byamukama, has intervened in a land conflict that has stalled the construction works of 25.7km Kabaale-Kiziranfumbi critical oil road project in Kikuube district.
Kabaale-Kiziranfumbi is one of the critical oil roads such as Masindi-Biiso 54km, Hohwa-Nyairongo-Kyarushesha-
In 2019, China Railway Seventh Group was contracted to upgrade them to tarmac. The three years project was projected to cost the government Shs 500billion.
The minister’s intervention follows a petition from the Kikuube Woman MP, Florence Natumanya following a compensation dispute arising from land ownership in one family.
The road stalled for more than two years after the wives of the late Rajab Turyamureba in Kyarwensambya village in Kiziranfumbi town council failed to agree on who should be compensated.
According to the Omuhereza Asiimwe Butamanya, the father to the deceased, his son who died in 2017 left behind a house in Kyarwensambya village which was affected by the road construction works.
After death, the deceased’s wives, Justine Nsimiire Nalongo, a mother of three children and the second wife, Sylvia Twijukye started fighting over the house.
As a result, the contractor had started constructing the road but when he reached the contested house, he could not proceed with works since it was pending compensation.
According to the Omuhereza Asiimwe, Twijukye, who was working in the deceased’s clinic claimed ownership of the contested house and started demanding compensation money.
He told the Minister that, Twijukye who claimed to be second wife forged a document of ownership of the land and claimed that she was a wife to the deceased, yet the family knew her as an employee of their son.
The deceased’s family together with Nsimiire Nalongo (known wife) protested the claims of Twijukye and petitioned several offices which included justice centers, Office of the RDC Kikuube and area MPS.
All these offices attempted to resolve the matter but failed after most of the resolution favored the Nalongo.
The conflict forced Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to put on halt the compensation of the house after Twijukye went to court seeking justice.
However, Minister Byamukama and other local leaders who included area MP, LCV boss, Peter Banura held a meeting with the conflicting parties at the Office of the Kikuube RDC, Amlan Tumusiime and resolved the impasse.
During the meeting, it was agreed that out of Shs 21.4 million which was valued in the contested house, the second wife (Twijukye) will be given Shs 5milion while the first wife and her children will take over Shs 16m.
Minister Byamukama commended the family for accepting to settle the conflict and challenged the second wife, Twijukye to withdraw the court case to allow UNRA to pay their compensation for the road construction project to resume.
RDC Tumusiime and Peter Banura, the Kikuube district boss blamed the conflict on greedy leaders, UNRA officials and Lawyers who have been misleading the family over this matter.
According to them, several offices attempted to settle the matter but some selfish groups who thought the compensation of the house was about Shs 200 million have been taking the family off truck with the intention of making money from the conflict.
They commended the Minister for his intervention adding that they have hope that the road project construction will soon resume after settling the matter.
MP Florence Natumanya says, there are several other issues related to compensation under this road construction project that needs to be addressed.
She noted some people have been left uncompensated and others were left without access roads to their houses.
Natumanya also complained of dumping sites which are situated near people’s houses adding that soon they may turn into death traps.
Juliet Oyera, Head of Land Acquisition at UNRA said that 90% of the persons affected by the road construction project have been compensated adding that the remaining 10% have issues of ownership.
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She commended the leaders and the Minister for resolving the matter adding that once the family makes a consent agreement, UNRA will pay the compensation money to the family.
The widow, Nsimiire Nalongo and her father in-law Butamanya expressed gratitude about the resolution saying that children of the deceased have received justice.
However, when asked to comment about the resolution, Twijukye, the second wife, refused to talk to the media.
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