Maate Isahaq | Tayari News
KASESE – At least 346 households in Kasese Municipality face possible eviction to pave the way for the construction of the Kamulikwizi drainage channel, a major storm water management project cutting across three divisions and several cells.
The 5.2-kilometre channel runs from Congo Quarter in Katonzi cell, Bulembya division, through Nyamwamba division, and ends in Kikonzo cell in the central division. Municipal authorities say the project, funded by the World Bank, is intended to tackle flooding, improve sanitation, and protect infrastructure in the fast-growing town.
However, in Kamulikwizi cell in Nyamwamba division, where many houses were built within the drainage path, the project has stirred fear and resistance among residents.
Residents insist that no structure should be demolished before they are compensated for the land and property they stand to lose.
Kowe Sarah, one of the affected residents, said families are anxious because they have not been assured of how their losses will be handled.
“I am glad that this project intends to help us with the floods challenge, but we still need the government to come out and compensate us for the losses because of these plots we bought,” Kowe said.
Another resident, Banganira Jimmy, told Tayari News that many people invested their life savings in constructing homes in the area and now feel they are being pushed out with nothing to fall back on.
“It is really impossible for someone to just go without the authorities showing him where to go. They should give us money to buy plots elsewhere.” Banganira asked
The Kamulikwizi cell chairperson, Mr Bogere Aminadabu, confirmed that a significant number of affected households have refused to sign consent forms authorising demolition of their structures, insisting they will not vacate unless compensation is guaranteed.
“Residents have refused to sign the consent forms I presented to them. They asked me if there is compensation for their structures.” Bogere revealed.
He appealed to government and municipal authorities to consider the plight of the community members who fear losing homes and investments built over many years, with little hope of replacing them soon.
“Compensating these residents is key because many of them don’t have anywhere to go. I ask the government to consider at least something small for their losses.” Bogere said.
Resident Juliet Mary Asaba complained that residents were not adequately sensitised before construction works began and that many now feel trapped between accepting demolition or resisting the authorities.
But Kasese Municipality Mayor Chance Kahindo maintains that residents who constructed within the drainage channel reserve should not expect compensation.
He explained that the Kamulikwizi drainage project is being implemented under World Bank guidelines, which do not provide for compensating people who knowingly built road reserves, drainage reserves, or wetlands.
The mayor appealed to residents to cooperate with municipal authorities in implementing the project, arguing that the drainage works are intended to benefit the wider town by controlling floods and improving sanitation.
The Secretary for Works and Natural Resources in Kasese Municipality, Siriwayo John, urged residents to stop encroaching on wetlands and drainage corridors, warning that such actions expose them to future losses whenever the government undertakes infrastructure development or environmental protection projects.
As construction on the Kamulikwizi drainage channel continues, tension remains high among affected households in Kamulikwizi Cell. Many residents are still weighing whether to sign consent forms or maintain their demand for compensation.
The municipality now faces the delicate task of enforcing urban planning regulations and environmental standards while managing the social and economic impact on hundreds of families living within the project corridor.