󰕄 󰌻 󰗃 󰏲 Call Us: +256 (0)414 337 000 󰍎 Plot 19/21 First Street, Industrial Area,

HOME NEWS MEDIA SUPPLEMENTS TENDERS NOTICES PODCASTS E-PAPER JOBS VISION

September 11, 2023 01:29:20

VISION TVS & RADIO BUKEDDE AMAWULIRE KAMPALA SUN
pm

Batwa, NGO clash over EU project

󱑓 Nov 06, 2009

IT was a project of hope. A project to bring some kind of modernity to the Batwa, an
ethnic grouping that still lived a pre-historic lifestyle. They roamed the vast Semliki
game reserve in Western Uganda, hunting and gathering for their survival. The vege
By Frederick Womakuyu

IT was a project of hope. A project to bring some kind of modernity to the Batwa, an ethnic grouping that
still lived a pre-historic lifestyle. They roamed the vast Semliki game reserve in Western Uganda, hunting
and gathering for their survival. The vegetation cover provided them shelter. Trees were plenty.

There was no need for permanent structures. They built their huts by the day.

However, in the 1990s, about 70 Batwa were evicted from the Semliki National Park by the Uganda
Wildlife Authority (UWA), for these wretched of the earth were considered a threat to the wild game and
the environment.

“We settled in small huts on the edges of the park but still hunted park resources,” their king,
Geoffrey Nzito, said.
But with UWA restricting hunting in the game reserve and all the land around it parceled out to individuals,
it became difficult for the Batwa to survive.

Then appeared the ray of hope. In 2007, Rural Welfare Improvement for Development (RWIDE), a local
non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Kyenjojo, came up with the Batwa Homestead project
proposal to improve their lives. It quickly won a 43,885 Euros (sh100,935,5000) grant from the European
Union (EU).

The money was supposed to procure land in Bundimasoli village, Kasitu sub-county in Bundibugyo
district. The Batwa, who are shorter than the average people, were supposed to be resettled in a
homestead comprising 22 semi-permanent structures with roofing sheets. The settlement was also
supposed to have adequate sanitation facilities like pit latrines for at least 90 inhabitants.

However, 12 years later, the situation on the ground is different. The Batwa have questioned the project
and the police and the EU have also picked interest in the matter. “We have opened a general inquiry
file on Vincent Mubiru (the RWIDE project coordinator),” says Nelson Asaba, the Criminal
Investigations Department boss at Bundibugyo police station. “The Batwa are accusing Mubiru of
misusing the funds. I have sent my officers on the ground to uncover the truth.”

While claiming that they do not discuss project matters in the press, the EU Head of Cooperation Jose
Soler said they were informed about the case and were taking the necessary measures to address it.

“The European Commission has ample internal procedures to address any ‘what ifs’ in the
projects, if funds are misappropriated,” Soler said.

When Saturday Vision visited the settlement recently, the place was littered with human waste. There is
only one pit latrine for the 90 residents. There were 14 and not 22, poorly-built structures.
Two filthy, loose-fitting external doors with huge gaps in them, direct bright sun rays into King Nzito’s
sitting room.
“I am not sure how much money was spent on this project because Mubiru did not involve us in the
implementation of the project or accountability for the funds,” says Nzito, sitting on a short stool on his
verandah.

“He promised new houses, household items, as well as permanent latrines. In addition, he promised
that five of our children will be taken to boarding schools outside the district. But he has failed in his
other promises,” adds Nzito, as he waves a pile of documents.

Mubiru says the 43,885 Euros EU grant translated into sh79,826,445, meaning the exchange rate was
sh1,818 to the Euro. However, the prevailing exchange rate in 2007 hovered between sh2,100 and sh2,230
to the Euro. When asked about the discrepancy, Mubiru expressed ignorance. “It was a long time ago
and I don’t remember,” he says.

A RWIDE document, entitled “Tracking of Batwa Livelihood Project Expenditures,” puts the total
cost of constructing the houses at sh36, 685,000 with sh6,160,000 spent on 440 iron sheets for the 22
houses. Each house was supposed to have 20 roofing sheets.

However, Saturday Vision counted only 14 houses, each with 18 roofing sheets and not 20. Nzito also
says only 14 houses were constructed, each with 18 iron sheets. Mubiru, however, insists they
constructed 22 houses and an office block, but that the other houses were destroyed by the Batwa.
“The Batwa sold some iron sheets for treatment, to buy Christmas clothes and one woman sold hers
to get married. They sold the rest of the houses to buy alcohol,” Mubiru alleges.

Nzito admits the Batwa confiscated some of the roofing sheets but explains that it was because Mubiru
had defaulted on paying them and not for any other reason.
Nzito also disputes the budget figures Mubiru puts as payment for doors, windows, labour and for
purchasing agricultural inputs.
Nzito and Wilson Kainta, another Mutwa, also dispute the materials’ costs and some of the projects
figures said to have been paid to the Batwa. These include the sh1,000 for each bundle of reeds supplied,
sh5,500 and sh330,00 for site clearing and ground levelling and sh70,000 for mudding each house. They
said they were paid much less. But Mubiru said he contracted out the services. “Ask the contractor,
not me. I was not involved directly,” he said and refused to show any documentary evidence saying he
could only avail them to auditors.

He also refused to show any sales agreement for the 16.4 acres of land (22 plots) he claims to have
procured to resettle the Batwa at a disputed figure of sh20.1m.
Kainta also accuses Mubiru of personalising the project property like a computer, a generator which is
allegedly used to power a bar and the project motorcycle.

But Mubiru dismissed the accusations, saying the computer had been infected by a virus and had been
taken to Kyenjojo for cleaning. “The generator is in the office and not a bar,” Mubiru said. “I
couldn’t give out the motorcycle because the Batwa don’t have a riding license.”

While Mubiru’s expenditure indicates that he bought agricultural inputs worth shs556,000, and
acquired extension services at shs555,000, the Batwa deny getting the items.

“We don’t even have land for cultivation,” Kainta said. But Mubiru dismisses the claim, saying
part of the land he purchased, about three acres, is being developed into a Batwa cultural Boma for
income generation.

“The land was small and the Batwa couldn’t share it equally. I constructed a cultural boma so that
the Batwa will have a market to sell their handicrafts to get money,” Mubiru says.

Other project expenditures include sh6,691,000 for the promotion of the Batwa human rights by use of
drama in schools, communities and on radios. The Batwa king, however, remembers only one drama
show. He is not sure whether the school debates took place.

The EU has earmarked another sh90m for the second phase of the project.
The police should also conclude its investigations quickly to clear any suspicion on the side of the Batwa
that people are trying to take advantage of their situation.
All Rights Reserved © NewVision 2023

TV Contact us

Archives +256 (0)414 337 000

E-Papers +256 (0)312 337 000

Privacy Policy news@newvision.co.ug

Legal Policy 󰕄󰌻󰗃

Terms of Use