A family in Fort Portal City is contesting the destruction of their graveyard in the ongoing construction of the Kahungabunyoyi-Mugoma road under the Uganda Support for Municipal Infrastructure Development-USMID project. The government contracted China Railway 18 Company to undertake the
However, the Chinese firm subcontracted Global 21st Engineering Company Limited to execute the job. The family of the late Paul Kaijakwamya says the road goes through their burial ground in Rwengoma A2 village, Bazaar ward, Fort Portal Tourism
The family members say the gravesite hosts about 20 graves. On Monday evening, the contractors destroyed a grave where a child was buried about six years ago, exposing his remains, which angered the family members. Hamza Mugisa, one of the aggrieved family members who spoke to URN, says the destruction of the grave has brought fresh grief for the affected family members.
He says that, according to the initial survey, they were told that the road construction wasn’t going to interfere with their burial site, but they were surprised when the workers encroached on their side and ended up destroying a grave. The grave has since been covered with plywood, and the contractors have hired a security guard who will be guarding it until it is relocated.
The construction site engineer, who refused to disclose his name, told our reporter that, as contractors, Fort Portal City gave them a site plan, which showed that there were no hindrances on the construction route. He says that what happened was an accident that wasn’t expected.
Emmanuel Businge, the Deputy Fort Portal Resident City Commission in charge of the Central Division, told URN that he held a meeting with some family members, the contractors, and the City Engineer on Tuesday morning and resolved to again meet on Thursday when all family members are present to agree on the way forward.
At the meeting, some family members suggested that all the graves should be exhumed and relocated to another family’s land. In June, the Fort Portal City Council hired China Railway No. 18 to fix up Millane, which is 0.72 kilometers long, Kabundaire Water Supply Road, which is 0.9 kilometers long, and Mugoma Kahungabunyonyi, which is 0.66 kilometers long. This is part of the second phase of USMID.