Residents protest over valley dam

By Davis Buyondo
 
LYANTONDE - District authorities in Lyantonde were on Monday called to intervene and resolve a long-standing dispute over a community valley dam.
 
Residents of Kagaala village are accusing Violet Namara, the Kasagama Sub-county councilor, of denying them access to the dam claiming it was constructed for her and not the community.
 
As a result, at least 200 families and pastoralists are struggling to cope with the severe water shortage.

The disputed dam is located on Namala’s farm in Kagaala village and measures about 100x100ft long. It was meant to supply water for domestic use and livestock.

 
Councilor Violet Namara whom residents accuse of blocking them from using the dam. Photo/Davis Buyondo

Francis Mugenyi, the Kagaala LCI chairperson, said that it was constructed using government funds released in the 2013-2014 Financial Year to assist more than 2000 residents.
 
He explained that, as area councilor, Namara willingly offered land to construct the Kagaala community dam but later stopped residents from using it.

“Since then residents have been suffering and pastoralists forced to take their livestock to other ranches.” He said.
  
According to Kezekiya Mwesigwa, the Kasagama LCIII Chairperson, the row has existed for two years without any intervention by concerned district authorities to resolve it.

  RDC Tiguragara Matojo at Kagaala village during the meeting. PHOTO/Davis Buyondo

He said that the rift between Namara and the residents needed serious attention and intervention before it results into bloodshed.

Ronald Kasujja, one of the affected residents, said they have not benefited from the dam ever since it was constructed. He added that he was surprised to see Namara denying them access to a community vally dam.
 
Moses Abaho, a pastoralist, said that denying them access to the dam has made their lives difficult. He said that their livestock have been affected and most of them have died in dry spells.
 
Abaho explained that this year 20 cows have died due to water scarcity in area adding that take their livestock to different communities in search for water.
 
Namara defends self

However, Namara denied the allegations saying she has no problem with residents as they claim. She explained that her problem is the herdsmen who take their cows for water and later graze them on her farm.
 
“Herdsmen bring their cattle to drink water but after they graze them on the little pasture for my animals. They should take their animals off my farm after taking water.” She explained.
 
Robert Musabi, also a resident, backed Namara saying she has never stopped them from accessing the dam but her major problem is with the herdsmen who fail to control their animals.
 
RDC, LC5 Chairman Intervene
 
The Resident District Commissioner, Sulaiman Tiguragara Matojo and Fred Muhangi, the Lyantonde LC5 Chairperson, rushed to Kagaala village to chat a way forward to resolving the dispute. They held a joint meeting on Namara’s farm but counter-accusations marred the process.
 
Matojo explained that they received the funds in 2013-2014 Fiscal year but they never had land to construct the dam until when Namara volunteered to offer land.
 
Fred Muhangi said that as soon as she offered land, the district engineer Francis Kiwanuka and his team used the district machinery to construct it.
 
He added that they receive sh50m every year to set up dams, shallow wells and maintain boreholes or set up new boreholes.
 
He said that it was an oversight in the paperwork that they are trying to rectify adding that government cannot waste funds constructing a dam for just one person and leave others to suffer.
 
According to the Kiwanuka, they used more than sh15m to construct the dam saying that they followed the right procedure before embarking on the process.
 
He said they contracted Ferguson Enterprises to take up the project which was meant for the community not Namara. He added that Namara wrote to the district council allowing the construction process.
 
“After consultations with general purpose committee, the district council approved the dam construction for the community.” He explained.
 
However, Matojo explained that they are investigating the matter adding that they are going to hold several meetings to resolve the dispute.