Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has started engagements with community leaders and affected persons to voluntarily provide the right of way for the construction of 69.70km of roads in the city.
Under the Kampala Roads Rehabilitation Project (KRRP), which is a $288m African Development Bank project, KCCA is to begin the rehabilitation of 29 roads and junctions in the city.
The roads will be complete with associated drainage works including improvement to 22 traffic junctions, 123km of Non-Motorised Traffic facilities, commercial vehicles parking places, Bus depots, public toilets, markets along project roads for women vendors, installation of 1,600 energy efficient streetlights, and tree planting.
On Thursday, the KCCA Safeguards team led by Gerald Ahabwe, the Project Social Development Specialist held an engagement with LCI leaders of the affected areas in Nakawa division.
“This is not the first time for, land and property owners around Kampala to be asked to provide space on their land for road construction. We hope you will support this project and make it a success,” Ahabwe said.
Under the KIIDP Project, land owners voluntarily provided right of way which led to the success of the project.
Ahabwe explained that government secured funds for the road construction but it is constrained on resources to fully finance and compensate land owners within a given timeframe.
“Before construction starts, each property owner assents by signing a Consent Agreement. Discussions and further negotiations for severely impacted properties is also carried out,” Ahabwe said.
It should be noted that people who will sign voluntary consent forms allowing road construction through their land at zero compensation are eligible for compensation for their developments on the affected land.
This is to mitigate acute loss of individual income and well-being. Residents with minimal impact on their properties such as moving of a perimeter wall, fences or driveways will have the affected development re-instated by the project.
The affected areas in Nakawa Division are along, Old Portbell road, Spring road and New Portbell roads which are all under Lot II of the KRRP.
Nakawa Division Mayor Paul Mugambe commended KCCA for considering improving roads in Nakawa but challenged the Authority to be transparent in delivery of services.
“Compensation is not possible, that is why KCCA is calling upon us to voluntarily give land for the right of way. This is our road, and this is our city let us support the initiative. But KCCA must come clean,” Mugambe said.
The project is aimed at tackling congestion in the city of Kampala through improvement of road network, upgrading of traffic junctions, and enhanced drainage capacity to mitigate flooding on the streets.
Ben Kalinda, the LCI Bugolobi rallied fellow leaders and affected persons to be patriotic and offer KCCA the land.
“We should all love our country, and any development that comes we should support it as patriotic citizens. The issue of compensation is political, they need to be handled in a transparent way,” Kalinda said.
The Public consultations are aimed at sharing information about the project, obtaining information about the concerns, needs and priorities of the affected persons, obtaining cooperation and participation of the affected persons, ensuring transparency while carrying out the land acquisition activities.
The KRRP is expected to benefit at least 1.6 million people including: commuters, businesses and transporters passing through the city regularly, poised to experience improved transport efficiency.
Some targeted roads include;
Lot I: Wamala road Lubaga, Luwafu road Makindye, Kabega Makindye, Muteesa1 Lubaga, Old Mubende Lubaga, Kigala Lubaga, Kayemba road Lubaga
Lot II – Nakawa, Old Portbell and, Spring road, New Portbell road.
Lot III: 5th Street, 6th Street Central division, 7th Street Central division, 8th street Central division, Sir Apollo Kaggwa road Central, Muzito road Lubaga, Suuna 1 & Ssuuna2 Lubaga, Kabalagala Junction Makindye
Lot IV: Kasubi Northern bypass Lubaga, Queens way Central, Salama Munyonyo Makindye, Kyebando ringII Kawempe, Kisasi ring Nakawa
Lot V: Mugema road Lubaga, Masiiro road Lubaga, Ssentema road Lubaga, Nsambya Halton Makindye.
