Assessement of compulsory land acquisition grievance management mechanisms in Uganda : a case of Kampala-Jinja expressway road project

Abstract

This study assessed the developed GRM in compulsory land acquisition on the Kampala Jinja Expressway project to find out how the grievance handling processes are conducted and how they can be improved. The findings focus specifically on the study objectives which included examining the causes of compulsory land acquisition grievances, the grievance management mechanism processes and structures used in compulsory land acquisition on the Kampala Jinja Expressway Road project, the challenges affecting grievance management mechanisms used on the project and the strategies that can be put in place of improve grievance management processes. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were utilized where quantitative approach was used to collect numerical data from PAPs who have submitted grievances while qualitative was used to collect non-numerical data from project RAP team and other stakeholders. Employing a mixed-method approach enables triangulation, ensuring that the strengths of each approach complement and compensate for the limitations of the other. The study concluded that the prevalence of grievances revolves around valuation discrepancies where PAPs feel that their properties were undervalued, social conflicts in the families and communities where the projects are implemented, and survey-related issues such errors and omissions and lastly delayed payment of compensation money emerging as the most significant cause of dissatisfaction among PAPs which escalates the grievances. The study also concluded that majority of the affected community members were unaware of the existence of grievance management mechanisms, resulting in significant delays in handling and resolving grievances. Despite efforts to address these challenges, the findings indicate a prevailing sense of ineffectiveness of the mechanism, with a substantial proportion of PAPs expressing dissatisfaction with the mechanisms in place. The reasons for ineffectiveness include, lack of information, lack of expertise by the grievance handling teams and lack of communication channels during the grievance handling processes.