Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) authorities have made a U-turn on compensation payments to individuals whose land will be destroyed while constructing a $ 2.3bn railway line that will join Kampala through Malaba to Nimule in South Sudan.
This is part of the Standard Gauge Railway construction project which already underway to connect East African countries will take a period of 42 months.
The project received a major boost as China approved to finance the 476Km line which was witnessed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in Beijing not so long ago.
Part of the funds is to help in compensating residents whose land has been affected.
TrumpetNews landed on a letter written by Isabirye &Co. advocates on behalf of Hakim Hassan Ssematimba to the Executive Director SGR Kasingye Kyamugambi complaining how his compensation payment which had been finalised was later rescinded under unclear circumstances.
Dated 9th January 2017 the letter was received by SGR management at its head offices in Nakawa.
“Our client is the lawful owner of a plot of land at Mutungo, Nakawa division, Kampala district which he purchased from a one Joy Noeline Binaisa,” reads part of the letter.
“After purchase of this land he was using the name Sozi Arajabu. Our client has since changed his name to Ssematimba Hakim Hassan.”
The letter further says that Ssematimba’s land was affected by the Standard Gauge Railway project and he is to be compensated for the same.
That he has since opened an account in Post Bank Uganda Limited, Iganga branch vide account number 1030027010153 in his new names.
“Our client has a national identification card number 006875586 in the name of Ssematimba Hakim Hassan,” the letter explains.
His land was already inspected by the SGR agent, “vide KAM/NAK/MUT 3/10014500/005845 under the same Sozi Arajabu.”
But when Ssematimba followed on the compensation process he was informed by the SGR agent that his claim can’t be settled owing to the above stated discrepancies.
However, all the above discrepancies are supported by authenticated documents to prove their validity.
Diana Apio, SGR communications manager when acknowledged Ssematimba’s claim but explained that he is under Kampala affected persons where compilation of draft valuation report and affected persons n properties is still ongoing.