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Farmers from Kyamuhunga, Bushenyi District, camp at the RDC’s office in Bushenyi Town last week. PHOTO BY ZADOCK AMANYISA
By ZADOCK AMANYISA
Bushenyi. More than 90 former tea farmers from Kamuhunga, Bushenyi District, have petitioned the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) over delayed compensation.
Under their association, Family Plot Owners of Ankole Tea Estate, the group last week camped at the office of the RDC for two days, demanding compensation from government they claimed was promised to them more than two decades ago.
The RDC, Mr Isaac Kawooya, assured the complainants that payments will be made early next month.
Mr Joseph Kamurasi, the group leader, told Daily Monitor that their case dates back to 1989 when President Museveni directed the farmers to rehabilitate Ankole Tea Company, a then government establishment, which was in a bad state.
Mr Kamurasi said the President also promised to compensate the farmers after Rwenzori Highlands Ltd, a private investor took over the management of the company in 1994. However, he said the compensation was not effected, prompting the group to sue the government.
Mr Kamurasi said Mbarara High Court ruled in their favour and decided that the State pays Shs341 million as damages.
He said, however, when the money was paid in 2004, names of 97 of the 145 petitioners had been left out from the list of beneficiaries.
He added that in 2006, they petitioned then Bushenyi RDC Sam Tibesigwa and in 2008, the Principal Private Secretary to the President directed Mr Tibesigwa to carry out a validation exercise which discovered that the 97 farmers were maliciously dropped from the list.
The farmers said if they are not paid by December 3, as Mr Kawooya promised, they will march to Rwakitura to demand for audience with the President.
THE BACKGROUND
Mr Kamurasi said while speaking at a launch of Kyamuhunga People’s Sacco in November last year, President Museveni directed his Principal Private Secretary to make sure that the payment is effected but up to this time, nothing has been made.
Mr Kamurasi said while speaking at a launch of Kyamuhunga People’s Sacco in November last year, President Museveni directed his Principal Private Secretary to make sure that the payment is effected but up to this time, nothing has been made.
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