Leaders want encroachers in River Muzizi catchment area evicted

 

 

Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) is developing a 48MW Muzizi Hydro Power (HPP) at the lower course of the Muzizi River in western Uganda, southeast of Lake Albert with the powerhouse approximately 6km upstream of Lake Albert at the eastern flank of the Albertine Graben.

 

Lawrence Akugizibwe, the Mwenge North Member of Parliament (MP) said that government is to invest huge sums of money in the project and as leaders, they cannot sit and watch as some individuals cultivate rice and other crops on the banks of Muzizi River at the expense of all people.

 

"Some people are growing rice on the river banks which is affecting the water flow and leading to silting of the river and this should not be allowed to continue," said Akugizibwe.

 

He said that communities living along River Muzizi are clearing the swamp to plant crops more especially rice for their individual gain at the expense of the entire public.

 

Barnabas Tinkasimire, the Buyaga West MP said as leaders, its incumbent upon them to tell the people the truth instead of mere politicking.

 

Tinkasimire said that government ministries and agencies such as the ministry of water and environment, National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and National Forest Authority (NFA) should liaise to ensure River Muzizi catchment area is rid of encroachers.

 

"If these government agencies do not play their part then this multi-billion project will be turned into a white elephant which is not good for us as a country," said Tinkasimire.

 

He said such a project needs serious attention of all stakeholders if it is to benefit the people for the time planned by the project designers.

 

UEGCL officials have organised several meetings to meet leaders in the districts where the project shall be implemented to brief them on the progress and also bring them on board during the implementation of the project for monitoring and supervision.

 

Lillian Ruteraho, the Kagadi Resident District Commissioner said that people's hope has been restored and are now anxiously waiting for the start of the project because they know the benefits associated with it.

 

"The people want to be paid as soon as possible so that the Muzizi hydropower project can start immediately," said Ruteraho.

 

She said all such developments are taking place in Bunyoro and the country in general because of the good governance ushered in by the National Resistance Movement government.

 

Ruteraho said that as district leaders, they have ordered all people encroaching on River Muzizi to voluntarily vacate in the shortest time possible before they are arrested and arraigned before courts of law.

 

"I have ordered all those concerned to start assessing the damage caused by the cultivators on River Muzizi and Kagombe forest reserve because it's a catchment area for the river so that they don't interfere with nature," said Ruteraho.

 

She said that some people are planting eucalyptus trees along the banks of River Muzizi which are heavy feeders affecting the water levels of the river consequently with negative effects on the project.

 

 

Engineer Isaac Arinaitwe the chief projects officer UEGCL said they decided to come and meet leaders at all levels after meeting the project affected persons at village level so that they could update the leaders on the progress of the project to involve them for ownership of the project.

 

Arinaitwe said to support project host communities cope with project impacts, beyond those articulated in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) reports, projects of this scale come with pressure on social services, infrastructure and natural resources, and impact on livelihoods.

 

Arinaitwe said that UEGCL is to engage the district local governments of Kagadi, Kyenjojo, and Ntoroko, Sub-counties and host communities on priority interventions - health, education and skills development.

 

He said that such interventions are not a replacement for Local Government interventions but Focus on long-term impact, sustainability for community development interventions.

 

"Our interventions are consistent with government interventions, district development Plans, addressing local needs and specific focus on activities beneficial to women, youths and these interventions to be reviewed regularly to ensure high impact," said Arinaitwe.

 

Arinaitwe said that ESIA has been completed and approved by NEMA and Permits acquired - water abstraction from the Directorate of Water and others to be acquired by the contractor.

 

He said that additional assessments to be undertaken for temporary infrastructure such as quarries, camps, waste disposal areas by the contractor.

 

Arinaitwe said that Support Management plans to be implemented have been developed such as Livelihood Restoration Plan, Cultural Heritage Management Plan, Water Source Protection Plan, Community Development Action Plan, and Stakeholder Engagement Plan.

 

Other plans to be developed with guidance from UEGCL, focusing on construction phase environment and Social Impacts are Labour Force Management Plan, Health and Safety Management Plan, Reservoir clearing and filling plan, Environment Mitigation and Monitoring Plan, Traffic Management Plan, Waste Management Plan, Waste Water management, Explosives handling and blasting plan and Community liaison plan.