TORORO: UETCL, Indian firm Kalpataru accused of terrorizing, grabbing locals land as Minister Oboth looks on
Locals in Tororo have accused Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) of terrorizing them and as well grabbing their land in the name of implementing Government transmission power line projects without duly compensating them.
Allegations are that one Francis Chombe, an employee of UETCL is commanding several UPDF soldiers in Tororo district where UETCL is forcefully constructing a power line in contempt of a court order/injunction issued by Mbale High Court.
Chombe, UPDF soldiers and Indian “investors” are reportedly busy terrorizing landowners who oppose UETCL activities in Tororo district, shooting bullets at, beating, and arresting the landowners whom they reportedly tell that nobody can do anything to them for they are allegedly under orders from above.
Locals are however not happy with Defence Minister Oboth Oboth whom they say has turned a deaf ear yet he comes from the same region.
‘The President may not be aware of all this, but Oboth Oboth who is the area MP and the Minister of Defence in charge of UPDF soldiers cannot plead ignorance of what is happening to his constituents who went to court seeking justice and who, on 13th August, 2024 visited his home seeking audience with him,” says one of the affected land owners.
“He [Oboth] is a lawyer who knows what contempt of court is.”
GENESIS
It all began in 2009 when UETCL sought to construct one power line from Tororo to Lira via Opuyo and another from Bujagali to Lessos in Kenya via Tororo but failed to pay compensation for land.
UETCL reportedly made some landowners sign documents acknowledging receipt of compensation money.
Others reportedly acknowledged receipt of land measuring 0.000 acres as compensation for their land.
Having secured signatures on documents transferring land ownership UETCL, the latter reportedly ordered landowners to vacate their land and embarked on construction of its power lines in 2014.
In 2016, a total of 618 landowners went to High Court at Mbale seeking, inter alia, fair and adequate compensation for their land, crops and other properties destroyed.
On 17th August, 2018 the landowners and UETCL agreed in court that East African Consulting Surveyors and Valuers (EACSV) be appointed to survey and value the affected land and properties.
Consequently, the Court appointed EACSV for that purpose.
On 22nd April, 2021, EACSV furnished Court and the litigants with its reports which the landowners accepted, but UETCL has never stated whether it accepted or rejected them.
When the High Court at Tororo where the case had been transferred sat on 14th March, 2023 to commence the trial, UETCL informed the landowners and Court that it had abandoned its Tororo-Opuyo-Lira power line and would apply to Court within one week for leave to amend its written statement of Defence.
On 5th October, 2023, UETCL applied for the amendment, stating that it had abandoned compulsory acquisition of Plaintiffs’ land and would therefore not pay any compensation.
On 1st December, 2023, the Court declined UETCL’s application and dismissed it with costs.
Within two weeks after the dismissal, UETCL contracted an Indian company, Kalpataru Projects International Ltd, to construct the pending section of its power line halted by Court.
From March to June 2024, Kalpataru contracted one Brian Baguma to survey for its land measuring 40 metres wide.
Using armed police who threatened to shoot whoever would move near them, Baguma surveyed the land and planted survey marks in it.
In July 2024, UETCL deployed armed UPDF soldiers and resumed construction in contempt of the court order/injunction.
“On 13th December, 2024 at my home, Chombe Francis and the soldiers gave me the last day to write my will, saying that wherever they would see me again, they would shoot me dead on sight for opposing them. They said their order is allegedly from above…Where is the rule of law?” stressed another aggrieved land owner.
UETCL and Minister Oboth have been contacted for a comment.
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