The construction in Gulu Municipality of Atiak-Nimule road has hit a stag due to the failure by government to compensate affected residents in Layibi Division

Layibi division chairperson Mr. Alfred Oluba says that since the commissioning of the road early this year by President Yoweri Museveni no compensation has taken place despite the government carrying out an evaluation exercise.

“Engineers should not begin anything here before compensating the people,” Oluba said.

Oluba added that the affected people on the 5 kilometers stretch to Lacor trading centre should first be compensated before any construction continues, since the government says that it has released money but Uganda National Road Authority has failed to pass on that money to people who are going to lose their land. 

During the launch of the road construction early in June this year at St. Joseph’s college Layibi, President Yoweri Museveni ordered the minister of works and transport to compensate all the affected people who have land titles and whose crops were being destroyed by the construction

Gulu Resident District Commissioner (RC) Mr. Chrissy Owori Odoi said that he agrees with Oluba that residents must be compensated before any work can continue to eliminate an antagonism with the contractors. 

Dan Alinange the Public Relations Officer of Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) when contacted branded Oluba a “thief” because according to him, when UNRA carried out the evaluation; it was the local leaders who said that the land belongs to the municipality and there was no need to compensate the people. 

“He is a criminal what right does he have to stop construction of an international road, stopping construction of such roads in a day costs millions, besides the road is over 75 kilometers long so we can leave their place and continue elsewhere,” Alinange said.