Aplha Opio, the LC V councilor Kabwoya sub-county, says during the road works in 2013 the contractors blasted rocks, which damaged resident’s property.
“During the construction works of Hoima-Kaiso, one of the oil roads in the region, there was rock blasting in the areas in the villages of Hohwa, Kyenjonjo. And similarly, there was a quarry plant that was set by Collin Construction Company next to their camp in Kataaba.
During the rock blasting, stones could explode and this caused destruction of properties, crops and even animals. Most of the houses around those villages developed cracks and became uninhabitable and people abandoned them. People no longer even use these houses”, said Opio.
According to Opio, residents opted to go to court when after trying to engage the office of the Resident District Commissioner on the matter without success.
“We tried to engage the office of the RDC to have an amicable way of solving this but Unra and Collin did not respond well that why in 2015 the matter was brought to this honourable court of Masindi and we’re happy that the case is proceeding on well.”
Robert Irumba, the lawyer of the project affected persons, says they are seeking over Shs 2 billion.
The total claim is Shs 2-point something billion and so far the witnesses for plaintiffs are almost done. We are left with one, the chairman of Kyenjonjo but court has decided we first go to the ground, establish the facts on the ground, look at the damaged properties then we shall come back to court to proceed with the hearing then after court will determine the matter”, Irumba said.
On Friday this week, Justice Albert Rugadya Atwooki, the Masindi resident judge will visit the affected area on a fact finding mission.