The plans for the assets revaluation process has faded out for persons affected by the proposed East African Crude Oil Pipeline as project implementers move to fast-track its implementation.
The two host governments of Uganda and Tanzania, together with other shareholders are working towards developing a crude oil export pipeline running from Uganda’s oil field in Hoima to the refinery at the coast of Tanga in Tanzania.
As results, a total of 3,792 people in ten districts in Uganda living within the demarcated route of the proposed pipeline were put to notice of receiving compensation for their properties that will be destroyed to pave way for the construction works.
However, many of the Project Affected Persons-PAPs in the districts of Lwengo, Kyotera, Rakai and Gomba have repeatedly demanded a second evaluation exercise before the actual construction works begin. They argue that their properties have gained value since 2018 when the first assessments were conducted.
Steven Kakembo, one of the PAPs in Gomba district argues that although they are now optimistic of getting their due compensation three years later, it is proper that their properties are re-quantified basing on the present market value.
Fred Bazarabusa, an Officer of Charge of land acquisition processes at the East African Crude Oil Pipeline-EACOP project, says the evaluation process was already closed out and it is so unlikely that it can be redone.
He indicates that the work was done by competent contractors whose reports have already been approved by the responsible government entities that have issued a go-ahead to the project to be fast-tracked.
To cater for the three-year time lapse between the evaluation stage and actual compensation which is expected before August this year, Bazarabusa indicates, that the Project Management Teams, the developers, and the government are negotiating on possibilities of making top-ups on compensation figures arrived at in the reports of the Chief Government Valuer.
