Gov't asked to prioritize WB projects compensation

Kampala Capital City Authority has asked government to prioritize compensation of residents to enable the second batch of the Second Kampala Institutional and Infrastructure Development Project (KIIDP2) to speed up.

KCCA acting deputy executive director, Eng. Andrew Kitaka said government is required to finance all the compensation-related issues, and that delay would affect the progress of the project.

He said this during his presentation of the status of the KIIDP2 progress to a team of World Bank officials who were in town to access the project.

He told the officials who paid a courtesy call to the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago in his office that currently government is facing challenges in securing required funds.

The project requires an estimated sh230bn for the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP).

Funding for roads and drainages to a tune of sh120bn from the International Development Aid (IDA) is available, said Kitaka.

Last year the World Bank had suspended works on some of the roads following failure to compensate some of the residents whose structures were on the affected areas.

But the suspension on some of the roads has since been lifted and works started, according the KCCA official.

The World Bank is expected to fund the project to a tune of US$183.75m, IDA US$175m while government is required to contribute US$8m.

 There are about 25 roads and four junctions under batch II which are likely to be affected as a result of delayed compensations. They include: Nsambya Hanlon, Gaba road Nsambya Kabusu and Masaka Wankululukuku.

The roads are Namugoona, Bukoto-Ntinda, Eight street, Fifth Street, Katalima, Muzito, Naguru, Luwafu, Seventh Street, Buwambo, Kulambiro, Sixth Street and Ttuba.

Others are Ssuna, Muteesa, Wamala, Kigala, Kisaasi, Lungujja, Kabega, Old Mubende, Mugema, Kirombe, Kyebando and Kibuye Busega.

Kitaka told the press that changes on the roads are likely to occur to reduce cost of compensations. He added that whenever compensations have been effected, the time taken to conclude the land expropriation processes is too long.

"All the designs are ready but issues of compensation are still a challenge," he said.

Mayor Lukwago told New Vision that last financial year, the KCCA budget was cut from sh563bn to 314bn and he feels that government should come up with a bigger budget for the city to runs its programs.

He said areas around Kasubi market and Bwaise roundabout are some of the plots which are requiring compensation for relocation for the project to move first.

 Lukwago said that before works on the second batch kick off, the World Bank needs a RAP cost report to sure that government through KCCA compensates the affected residents.

KIIDP2 is the second phase of KIIDP and is building on the achievements of KIIDP1. The projects development objective is: enhanced infrastructure and institutional capacity of KCCA to improve urban mobility in Kampala.

The loan expires in 2019.