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Kampala. About 4,414 project affected persons in the districts of Tororo, Lira and Mbale are up in arms against the national electrcity transmitter, the Uganda Electricity Transmision Company Limited (UETCL), over compensation issues which is likely to stall a planned 132kV-High Voltage Transmission line.
Some residents say, the compensation is taking too long while others are accusing UETCL of undervaluing their property and are calling for revision of the rates before they can allow anything happen on the land.
“Using documents without agreement, UETCL took over ownership of people’s land. It did not negotiate land sale with anybody, but its officers made the affected persons sign documents which they were not allowed to read, possess or understand,” reads in part a petition signed by several residents, which they plan to handover to the Speaker of Parliament.
UETCL’s public relations manager Kenneth Otim yesterday, however, discounted the fears, saying about 527 persons had grievances that have not been resolved to allow the contractor, Ms Kalpataru Ltd start work.
musisif@ug.nationmedia.com
