UGANDA, Entebbe | Real Muloodi News | Residents along the 8.4-kilometre Kabale–Lake Bunyonyi tourism road are accusing the contractor, Samcrete Egypt Engineers and Contractors, of extending construction boundaries and clearing land beyond the area agreed upon during the initial survey.
The road project, launched on June 14, is expected to take between 18 months and three years to complete and aims to boost access to the scenic Lake Bunyonyi and support tourism development in southwestern Uganda.
Several residents have voiced frustration over alleged encroachment and inadequate compensation. Mariam Akacungura, one of the affected landowners, said she was shocked when new boundary marks appeared beyond the original survey points.
“We agreed to the first land measurement, but later the boundary was extended beyond the mark stones, affecting my house which is now at risk of collapsing,” she said.
Another resident, Jeniffer Turinawe, expressed concern over undervaluation of her land.
“I paid Shs40 million for the land I own, but was only compensated USh37 million. The amount given does not reflect the actual value of my property,” she said.
Some residents also said they signed compensation documents without fully understanding the details. Agness Sucess, whose farmland was affected, said they were not properly sensitized before construction began.
“We needed to be sensitized,” she said.
Officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport have acknowledged the concerns. Engineer Alison Abenawe, the ministry’s Kabale station manager, said most residents had been paid, but admitted that boundary extensions had occurred.
“There are issues from the contractor going beyond the original boundaries. While this was done to create more space for construction, it has caused distress among residents,” Abenawe said.
Brian Nicholas Okabaki, the Community Liaison Officer for Samcrete, said the extended pegs were necessary to provide sufficient working space for heavy equipment. He also urged government agencies to expedite compensation to avoid stalling progress.
“The contractor has to operate within safe working distances. We appeal for faster compensation so that construction continues smoothly,” he said.
Residents are now demanding transparent boundary demarcations, fair compensation, and clear communication from both the contractor and government officials. They fear losing homes, farmlands, and ancestral graves as construction progresses.
The Kabale–Lake Bunyonyi tourism road is a key infrastructure project under the government’s strategy to enhance tourism and local connectivity. However, without immediate action to resolve the disputes, the ongoing tension between residents and the contractor threatens to delay its completion.
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