KAMPALA, Uganda — Works and Transport Minister Katumba Wamala expressed concern Monday over the rising costs of land acquisition, noting that compensation for property owners now exceeds construction costs on some national road projects.
The minister said cases are being registered where the cost of compensating project-affected persons is significantly higher than the actual engineering and construction expenses.
Along the ongoing development of the Nakawuka-Kasanje-Mpigi and surrounding road networks by China Communication Construction Company, compensation costs have reached 400 billion shillings, while the construction contract is valued at 340 billion shillings.
Katumba said delays in land acquisition have left contractors idle, leading to additional expenses for the government due to a lack of right of way.
The minister made the remarks in Wakiso district while returning land titles to residents affected by the Kira-Matugga road project. He assured residents that all titles surrendered for subdivision would be returned, including those previously held by the dissolved Uganda National Roads Authority.
To streamline future projects, Katumba suggested that landlords handle the subdivision of their land themselves before surrendering the portion required for road works.
He also announced that the government will no longer allow individual land disputes to stall national infrastructure. Compensation funds for absentee landlords, disputed estates or those who reject official valuations will be deposited with the court to allow projects to proceed.
The ministry plans to begin evicting property owners who have received compensation but refuse to vacate. Katumba cited the 11-kilometer Najjanankumbi-Busaabala road as an area where fully compensated residents have only partially demolished structures and continue to occupy the land.
