Legislators from oil-rich Bunyoro sub region have urged the ‘oil refinery affected people’ in the area not to give way for oil activities until government compensates them fully as early agreed.
“It is good that you refused to be relocated by government. You should continue to protest against the relocation until government fulfills all the promises made to you [in the 2012 RAP report for the refinery project],” Barnabas Tinkamisimire, the Buyaga West MP said as he addressed residents of Kabaale parish, Buseruka sub-county in Hoima district.
Tinkasimire, who is also the Chairperson of the Bunyoro Parliamentary Caucus, was leading other members of parliament from the region on the fact-finding mission in the hotly contested area where some of the local people have resisted government pleas to vacate the area earmarked for the establishment of the oil refinery.
He said the confusion in the area has subjected the residents to food insecurity, and also argued that the future of the region’s youth and children affected by oil and gas developments is bleak if the matter is not handled well by government.
“We as Bunyoro MPs are not happy with the situation of our people in Kabaale,” Tinkasimire said of the parish that is earmarked by government for the construction of an airport to facilitate quick transportation for personnel and machinery for oil production.
He also vowed that his caucus would cause the summoning of the Minister of Energy, Irene Muloni before Parliament to answer for the mismanagement of the refinery resettlement process and address the challenges of the refinery-affected people.
He said legislators from the region would not government’s proposal to amend Article 26 of the Constitution, saying it is aimed at ‘stealing’ people’s land.
Norah Bigirwa Nyendwoha, the Buliisa district woman MP, expressed concern that oil development projects Bunyoro have resulted in human rights violations due to delayed compensation, among other issues.
Ms. Nyendwoha also noted that if compensation is not well managed other districts such as Buliisa affected by oil developments are most likely to face similar challenges.
She reiterated that it was high time leaders amplified community voices to ensure that human rights are protected.
Hellen Kahunde, the Woman MP of Kiryandongo district, said that the women and youth affected by oil projects have not benefitted from government’s development initiatives and funds such as the Women Fund, the Youth Livelihood Programme and Operation Wealth Creation.
“If government goes ahead with the proposal to acquire citizens’ land before compensation in case of disputes, it will further compromise its own development programmes,” she said, adding that government must compensate the refinery-affected people for the over five years they have waited for relocation or compensation.
Tophace Kaahwa Byagira, the Hoima District Woman MP, decried the living conditions of the refinery-affected people and pledged to seek for audience with the President to address the issues.
Mr Innocent Tumwebaze, the chairperson of Oil Refinery Residents Association, a local civil society, told the MPs that since government earmarked over 29 sq. kms of land for the refinery project in their area the people have experienced a number of problems including low valuation of property and compensation, and delayed relocation.
“We were wondering how government would wish to relocate us before fulfilling all the promises in the RAP report. We therefore refused to be relocated until the above are fulfilled and we implore you (MPs) to help us have the promises fulfilled. If they are not, government will make us very poor,” Tumwebaze said.
Ms. Esther Abigaba, an area resident said that women were affected by low compensation on top of the discrimination exhibited in the valuation of property. She said that an acre of land in Nyahaira and Kyapaloni villages was valued at a higher price than that in Kitegwa village yet all the villages are in the same sub-county.
Ms. Abigaba also castigated government for disorganising their children’s education, saying that it puts them at a disadvantage. “Our children will be excluded from jobs in the oil sector because of lack of education qualifications,” Ms. Abigaba said.
