"Pipeline route surveys spark fear amongst Hoima residents"

A recently concluded survey to determine a pipeline route from the proposed refinery in Kabaale Parish to Buloba, Wakiso district, close to the capital Kampala, has left a section of Hoima residents worried they could lose their land. At least 200 residents are now planning to petition government to have a dialogue with them before any decisions over their land are taken. Government commenced studies in June last year for a likely route for a pipeline that will bring refined products from the proposed refinery in Hoima to a distribution terminal in Buloba. The study is being carried out by Newplan Uganda and Ramboll, a Danish firm...

Oil in Uganda has learnt that during the exercise, surveyors met resistance from sections of residents in Kiziranfumbi Sub-County who demanded that government consults and compensates them before encroaching on their land. The Surveyors were passing through the proposed route of the pipeline installing mark points to prepare for an aerial survey that was conducted last month...Meanwhile, Strategic Friends International (SFI) has been selected to conduct the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) for the pipeline project. The firm was in charge of implementing the yet-to-be-fully-concluded RAP for the refinery project that was characterized by numerous complaints from the beneficiaries.