UGANDA, Tororo | Real Muloodi News | The opening of a community access road in Amagoro “A” central village in the Eastern division of Tororo was stopped by police on Friday 28th April 2023 after a group of locals threatened to attack road operators for trespassing on their land.
The Tororo municipal council authorities had planned to open the circular road that connects Tororo municipality to Morukatipe Sub County through Amagoro “A” central and Aterait villages.
However, 15 families in those villages claimed that they were not notified about the development and wanted compensation for their land.
According to Ms Cicilia Nakato, one of the affected residents, her house falls in the road and will be demolished if the construction continues as planned, but no one has talked to her about compensation. She wants to be compensated before the development continues.
Ms Zahara Etyang, another resident, said they were supposed to have been informed not to plant gardens where the road is supposed to pass. She suspects that some individuals might have decided to swindle their compensation money.
The speaker of the Eastern division council, Mr Pius Aroda, noted that some of the affected persons have graveyards within their compounds that require traditional ceremonies before they are exhumed for reburial in a different location which requires money.
However, in this case, no one seems to be caring and willing to compensate the people. He added that the opening of the road is not formal and that the council was not informed about it.
On the other hand, Mr Andrew Omuy, the LCV councillor of the area, disagreed with the claims being fronted by the residents, saying that the road was requested by the locals themselves.
He added that the council is fastening the process because they are worried about returning the money to the national treasury if the current financial year ends.
The Officer in Charge at Tororo Central Police Station, Mr Dickens Ampikiire, said that the municipal council authorities did not seek approval from the landowners before planning to open the access road.
He added that as police, they are mandated to protect property and lives. Therefore, for now, they have halted the development until the two parties come to a mutual understanding.
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