Evaluating the land acquisition process for road infrastructure projects

Abstract

This study evaluated the land acquisition process for road infrastructure projects in Uganda. More emphasis was put on three study objectives which included examining the land acquisition process, the challenges affecting land acquisition process in Uganda and the strategies to improve land acquisition processes in Uganda. The study used a cross-sectional survey design and employed quantitative research approach. It targeted a sample size of 80 respondents but 77 respondents responded back. Data was collected using the questionnaire. The study findings revealed that the process followed during land acquisition included determining different land options available for meeting intended project, consultations assessing the impact of the project on the community and PAPs, provision of the notice on the government’s intention to acquire the land, meeting with different stakeholders, writing and submission of the land valuation report by valuers and surveyors to the Chief Government Valuer for approval, payment of compensation amounts to the PAPs, taking possession of the land, handling grievances and disputes resulting from land acquisition and preparation of the Land Title of the acquired land. Challenges encountered before land acquisition process included lack of awareness by community members about the powers of government to acquire land for public interests, political influence, and limited information about the land to be acquired, limited funds to finance the land acquisition process and resistance from the community members and cultural leaders are largely encountered. Then encountered during the process included lacks of clear documents about the ownership of the land, forged land ownership documents, absent land lords, conflict between different parties owning and refusing to take compensation payments by the land owners. While bureaucratic tendencies and delays by the PAPs to vacate the land are largely encountered after land acquisition process. However, different strategies were proposed that included involving land owners, local leaders and the land office at every stage during land acquisition process, having strong and clear communication channels between the community members, strong enforcement of the policies governing/guiding land acquisition. Furthermore, NGOs and responsible government entities need to educate the community members about their land rights and financial institutions need to involved in order to teach the compensated persons how to use & invest the funds, creating tribunals to hand grievance and disputes that arise from land acquisition process, creating legal clinics where unsatisfied people can seek legal redress at no cost and deploying only people with enough competence to carry out the land acquisition process.