By Shivan Ayebare
Work on the Matanda Irrigation Scheme in Kanungu District has stalled due to ongoing land disputes among compensated family members, despite the Ministry of Water and Environment completing all payments to affected households.
According to Ronah Kamusime, a sociologist with the ministry, a survey around Matanda Dam identified 542 affected families, including the Kyahamutima household. She said disagreements within the family over land ownership and the relocation of graves have blocked the start of construction.
โThis land is not for Kyahamutima Annah alone,โ Kamusime said. โLetters of administration were issued in the names of Annah Kyahamutima and Tusiime Joy Christine. Both received compensation, including funds for relocating graves, but the relocation has not been completed.โ
Local leaders say the delays stem from internal family fights rather than government shortcomings.
Karyeija Denis said the ministry fulfilled its obligations. โIf you signed and agreed, that should be enough. The ministry did its part,โ he said.
Members of the Grievance Redress Committee shared similar views. Kagambirwe Warren Ariho said the family was given ample time to vacate the land but refused. โEven after being given a month, they still refused. Now they are using social media to claim their land was stolen,โ he said.
Some residents expressed concern that the dispute is reflecting poorly on the wider Kihanda community. โWe got money and now we are fighting the government. This is spoiling the name of Kihanda residents,โ one resident said.
Nizeyimana Laban urged the family to cooperate with the project, while Ninsima accused them of holding a public project hostage. โWhere peace fails, force applies. No single family should hinder a government initiative intended to serve hundreds of farmers,โ he said.
The Resident District Commissioner warned against politicising the dispute, stressing that the scheme is a government development project. โThis is a government project intended to benefit everyone. No single family can stop it,โ the RDC said.
LC3 Chairperson Davis Asiimwe said the Kyahamutima family had longstanding internal disagreements even before compensation. He confirmed that Tusiime Joy Christine received about Shs 500 million, Kyahamutima Annah received around Shs 600 million, and an additional Shs 20 million was allocated specifically for grave relocation. โThese people were paid well. I urge them to use the money wisely to buy land and rebuild their lives,โ Asiimwe said.
In her response, Annah Kyahamutima said the family felt rushed and unprepared for relocation. She said they formally requested three months from the Ministry of Water and the RDC to organise themselves and secure land elsewhere. โWe asked for at least three months so we could prepare and find where to go,โ she said. โBut we were given only three days. Later, they came and destroyed our house and gardens.โ
She added that the family has not yet secured a new home or a place to relocate their graves. Annah has asked the ministry to give them until December to complete the process.
Kamusime said the ministry aims to resolve all outstanding issues by December 2025 so that construction of the irrigation scheme can resume.
Once completed, the Matanda Irrigation Scheme is expected to boost agricultural production, improve water availability and support livelihoods across Kanungu District.
