The struggle of a woman to raise a child in the EACOP effected community in Kyankwanzi District

Friday, May 23rd, 2025 | By

Ms.Jane Nakinobe, a 38-year-old mother of five and a resident of Kiyuni village, Mulagi Sub County in Kyankwanzi District, narrates how she worked with her husband to acquire land that was but later she was betrayed after compensation.

“I had a lot of excitement when l heard that we were to be compensated but unfortunately l was wrong because sorrow and pain begun after “, she narrated to this website seemingly devastated.

Ms.Nakinobe, now a single mother says they were among the people that received all their compensation money husband, Peter Ssempijja disappeared with it.

“Raising my children as a single has been one of the hardest tasks since the land for cultivation was taken by the government after compensation”, she explains.

She has since resorted to bottle picking and washing people’s clothes to earn the little for her children’s survival.

Ms.Nakinobe lives in a poor financial state that even taking her children to school is hard.

“I only get peanuts from the work that do, seeing my children at home during school time breaks me down as a mother “she said with tears in her face.

The little earnings Ms.Nakinobe gets from the work she does can only provide food and rent for her and her children.

Ms.Nakinobe hasn’t been able to get justice. When she tried involving leaders about the matter, he efforts stalled along the way since it required a lot of money to follow up which she didn’t have.

Ms.Nakinobe is not the only one in this situation since most of the men decide to disappear after being compensated.

However, Denis Kakungulu the chairman of Kiyuni village, seemed unware when asked about the matter of men disappearing with money after compensation without the consent of their wives.He however pledged to work with Ms.Nakinobe and other victims so as justice can be served, He also called upon other women in the same situation to come out for help.

Samuel Mugisa the Social Affairs Officer at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) recently told this website that compensations are still ongoing and that those who have not yet been paid will be paid.

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa noted that 95% of the displaced people have been resettled, despite the difficulties in paying landowners in Uganda, where land ownership is perpetual.

Story compiled by Joannie Nteza