RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AGENCY UNDER FIRE OVER FAILURE TO COMPENSATE RESIDENTS

BY VANANSIO KAKOGOSO

IN KABALE—

Residents in Maziba Sub County in Kabale district are accusing Rural
Electrification Agency for encroaching on their land without their
consent.
Rural Electrification Agency is mandated to construct the excavation
line from Muvumbe power Hydro project to a national grid before it’s
distributed to final users.

However, during a meeting held at St. Kizito Maziba Catholic parish in
Maziba Sub County yesterday, the locals accused Rural Electrification
Agency for planting electric poles in their land without compensation
and consent.  The affected residents also said that when they
approached people who planting the poles, they almost lynched them.

They also accused Rural Electrification Agency for diverging from
initial plans where they had agreed on constructing of distributions
lines from Kahondo and Kigarama villages concurrently with the
transmission line before it is evacuated to the national grid.

The Ndorwa East legislator Hon Wilfred Niwagaba asked locals to resist
the construction of transmission line before distributions lines from
Kahondo and Kigarama villages, claiming that government will never
consider them.

The Senior Project Engineer in Rural Electrification Agency under
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development Henry Aine quashed the
claims by Niwagaba, saying after transmission line each village in
Ndorwa east will get power. He also apologized for the encroachment on
peoples land without their consent and promised to handle the matter
amicably.

The Kabale district vice Chairman Bridget Asinga Tumwesigye asked
locals to allow the construction of transmission line, and demanded
the Rural Electrification Agency fulfills its promises as it was
agreed upon with locals.