Ibrahim Kasita
22 July 2008
Kampala — LOCAL environmentalists have resumed efforts to discredit the $860m (about sh1,401b) Bujagali hydro-power project. Quoting a compliance review report by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the funders of the 250MW project, the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) said it pointed to anomalies in the project.
The AfDB report was undertaken in response to claims by NAPE that the people affected by the project:"have seen reductions in the range of cash crops they can grow at the new site, reduced access to roads, markets, adequate schools and medical care, problems with securing land titles and other problems."
The report focussed on the compliance of AfDB's management with the bank's procedures and policies with an aim of improving evaluation and implementation of future projects. The report won't affect AfDb's financing for the project, which is two months ahead of schedule.
NAPE said: "The project has once again failed to meet the bank's standards for financing regarding resettlement, poverty reduction, environmental protection, economics, alternatives, dam safety and climate change."
Frank Muramuzi, the NAPE executive director, told a press conference on Monday: "We intend to seek legal redress if the Bujagali issues continue to be unresolved."
However, a list of "People Affected by the Project" NAPE tendered as proof of local support for their protest includes Eddie Mutesa (No.82), the leader of the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company's (UETCL) Bujagali Implementation Unit.
William Kiryahika, the UETCL deputy managing director, said: "There is no way Mutesa could append his signature to such documents."
"We have also already compensated 80 out of the 89 purported claimants. We have receipts as evidence," Kiryahika added.
Under section 351 of the Penal Code Act, any person who knowingly and fraudulently used or dealt with the contents of a letter that pertains to another meeting, attached them and made them appear to be what they were not, is liable for criminal prosecution.
Onyango Kakoba said: "I am surprised NAPE used my attendance list. I am not part of NAPE. I held the meeting to discuss resettlement issues with my people but did not invite NAPE. I wrote the letter to the relevant authorities. I don't know how NAPE got the list."
"They might have got the attendance list and purported it to justify their claims to the bank," the MP said.
However, Muramuzi said: "There is no problem. I am reporting what the community is complaining about. If they want to confirm, let them ask the people."
The recent petition to the AfDB and World Bank did not inform Bujagali Energy (BEL), the project sponsors and implementers, neither were UETCL and the Government, the other principal stakeholders in the project, informed.
Recipients of the petition included the chairman of Mukono District Council, Francis Lukooya, Onyango Kakoba and NAPE.
The project is expected to relieve Uganda of acute power shortage and high tariffs, which have affected economic growth.
A unit of power is expected to be at a leveraged cost of about $6.5 US cents from the current $31 cents cost of diesel generation units.
The project is expected to be commissioned by 2011.
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