FEUD AS KAMWENGE, KITAGWENDA DISTRICT FIGHT OVER LIMESTONE QUARRY LOCATION

By Beinomugisha Jonan

www.mknewslink.com

In Kamwengye—

Kitagwenda and Kamwenge district are feuding over the geographic location of Dura limestone quarry.

In 2008, Uganda Wildlife Authority – UWA permitted Hima Cement Limited to mine limestone from Dura quarry, which is found inside Queen Elizabeth National Park, about 30 kilometers from Kamwenge Town.

The company also acquired a mining lease from the Energy and Mineral Developments Ministry to go on with its activities in an area measuring 450 hectares.

All went well until 2015 when Kanara Sub County that was in Kitagwenda County in present-day Kitagwenda district and Kamwenge Sub County, which was elevated to Kamwenge district started pulling ropes with each claiming the geographical ownership of the quarry.

However, the Kamwenge district leadership then intervened and secured surveyors from the Lands Ministry who reported that the quarry belongs to Nkongoro parish in Kamwenge Sub County and not Kanara Sub County. The issue seemed to have been resolved at that time.

However, the row seems to have resurrected with the operationalization of Kitagwenda district this financial year.

The Kitagwenda LC V chairman, Robert Mugabe, says the quarry is in Kanara Sub County and all royalties should be channeled to his district.

Mugabe alleges that in 2015, Kamwenge bribed surveyors to produce a report in their favor, something he says Kitagwenda is ready to challenge at all costs.

He also says that he has already accessed documents from Hima Cement Factory, which indicate that the mine is located in his district and will now push for an independent survey that he believes will bring out the truth.

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