UNRA to kick off Road Reserves encroachers’ eviction exercise
Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is set to start evicting forcefully people who encroached on Road Reserves across all its roads countywide. John B. Ssejemba, UNRA head of enforcement told a press today that the 24-hour exercise will start on Monday 15th May 2017 with Kampala-Entebbe Road.
UNRA Head of Enforcement, John B. Ssejemba addressing the media on the
eviction exercise set to start next week
He said they have sensitized all people about Road Reserves across the country and added that people were given time to leave the reserves but some of them have stubbornly refused to go.
“We have engaged all concerned parties including local leaders about the exercise, they are aware of the consequences. This exercise started in 2015 and will go on till road reserves are cleared of encroachers. Some people have moved on while others have ignored the warning and we are left with no option but to use our enforcement arm to clear them off the reserves.
The exercise will start with Kampala-Entebbe Road but will cover the whole country then Kampala-Masak Road, Kampala-Jinja, Hoima Road, Bombo Road, Gayaza Road and many others. We can’t don’t do all roads at ago but will do one by one,” Ssejemba added.
“We are starting with Entebbe Road because of its importance and we will go up to the airport. These people have caused confusion, their merchandise is always in the middle of the road and this has caused jam and accidents,” he added.
UNRA is not in the exercise alone but with Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). “Our intention is to clear everybody from the gazetted areas for road reserves which is 8 metres on either side of the road and we will work all the time (day and night) to make sure we clear it. We advise the affected persons to get stalls in gazetted market places like Usafi. We will face challenges but we are ready for everything. Our mobile van is on the ground informing people to vacate the areas immediately,” Ssejemba said.
Drive way is 7 metres while Road reserve is 8 metres from the main road totaling to 30 metres for all road including road reserves. UNRA said no compensation will be dished out to those who encroached on road reserves.
