EACOP AFFECTED PERSONS IN KYANKWNZI CONTINUE TO CRY OVER COMPENSATION

Residents affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project in Gayaza Sub-county, Kyankwanzi District have expressed dissatisfaction with the compensation money they received saying their land, crops and other properties were undervalued during the assessment.

Although the affected residents say they have already received payments from EACOP, they argue that the money does not adequately reflect the value of what they lost to the project.

The residents say they are particularly concerned about the valuation process, claiming that some property owners were not sufficiently involved in the assessment of their land, crops, houses and other developments.

They want authorities to review cases where residents believe their properties were undervalued or some developments were left out of the assessment.

Lubega Bazirio, one of the residents affected by the project, said the amount received has left some property owners dissatisfied because they believe the valuation did not fully capture the value of their properties.

He said affected residents should have been given a greater opportunity to participate in the valuation process and understand how the compensation figures were arrived at.

Muhirwe Robert and Gatete Ndayemaana are also among residents who have expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of the compensation process.

They say affected people need clearer information about how their properties were assessed and how the final compensation amounts were calculated.

The residents argue that receiving payment does not necessarily mean they are satisfied with the valuation.

 They want authorities to provide an opportunity for affected property owners to raise complaints where they believe the compensation does not fairly reflect their losses.

Some residents fear that the money they received may not be enough to replace their lost land, crops and other developments or to restore their livelihoods after giving up their property for the project.

The concerns have also attracted the attention of local leaders, who say the grievances raised by residents should be addressed.

Sadati Mugerwa, the Gayaza Sub-county District councilor, said residents have raised genuine concerns about the valuation of their land and crops.

He called for dialogue between EACOP officials, government authorities and affected communities to address complaints from residents who are dissatisfied with their compensation.

Mugerwa said people whose land and livelihoods have been affected by the project should not feel excluded from decisions concerning their property.

He urged the responsible authorities to listen to residents’ complaints and review cases where there are concerns that properties may have been undervalued.

The EACOP project is a major infrastructure undertaking designed to transport crude oil from Uganda’s oil-producing region to the Tanzanian port of Tanga for export.