Over 10 families are threatened with eviction following the start of construction work at Agoro irrigation scheme. 

It follows a request from the constructor, Dott service, that it will require more land for the opening of water channels and roads that will connect to the irrigation scheme.

The chairperson for Agoro Rice Growers Association, Mr. Denis Ochen, confirmed to Acholi Times that the government has to evict at least 10 homes for the completion of the irrigation scheme. 

Ochen said that the government first asked for 8 meters of land, but has now extended that request to around 12 meters. 

“The affected residents are not happy with the demand because the amount of land they are requesting is almost increasing every day,’’ he said. 

He added that the community was aware of any impending implications should the scheme fail. 

One of the affected families said that their land has been divided up due to construction of roads and now the irrigation scheme is claiming what is left. 

Mr. Richard Onen, a resident of Goloro village in Obaa parish, Agoro Sub County in Lamwo district, said that his family is being let down by the government and district officials by being evicted off their land.

“We had already surrendered some part of our land before the construction kicked off, now they are demanding for more land; where are we going now?  He asked.

The LC3 Chairman for Agoro sub county, Mr. Ben Owali, said that the government and Dott service should meet with the affected residents before they commence eviction or offer any compensation. 

“It’s better to talk to the affected residents first, they shall not just leave their home that way because they have to be compensated,” Owali said. 

He added that his office has already received information about the impending evictions, but is still waiting for instructions from the Lamwo district authority.  

The Community Liaison Officer for the Project, Mr Geoffrey Otema, however, said that the community has been involved in the rehabilitation of the scheme from the very beginning and it is the community that has requested for the extension of land. 

Otema urged those affected to address the issue of compensation with Lamwo district local government. 

“We are here to construct the irrigation scheme as directed by the government and we cannot leave other things outstanding, we need everything be completed,’ he said.

The 670 acres irrigation scheme will cost the government a total of 27 billion shillings to rehabilitate. 

The rehabilitation and reconstruction is expected to be completed by December of this year before it can be officially handed over to members of Agoro Farmers’ Association.