Editorial.
Following the closure of USMID project Programs in Uganda on 30th June 2024 by World Bank after a period of ten years of implementation by Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban development, Urban authorities including cities and municipalities have been tasked to take full responsibility of all complaints and grievances arising from the implementation of the projects.
This was revealed by Maria Nanteza from the Ministry of Lands under social safeguards team during an interaction with members of the grievance redress committee of Fort Portal city in a meeting held at Musiisa hall Booma.
Grievances
Grievance redress committees are committees that were set up by the government to ensure proper redress of complaints and concerns arising out of implementation of projects especially in all USMID implementing municipalities and Cities including Fort Portal, Mbarara, Arua, Gulu, Jinja, Masaka, Hoima among others.
Nanteza noted that all USMID Projects expired in June last year, adding that World Bank as the funder of the projects wants to get accountability of how the projects have been managed and full details of how community issues and grievances have been handled at various government levels.
She explained that as the government continues to negotiate with World Bank over possible renewal of USMID Program, local governments have been tasked to make a firm positive stand and ensure that all complaints and grievances in the previous projects are properly documented, managed and concluded.
She tasked the grievance redress committee of Fort Portal city to constitute full membership of the committee that fully represent the interests of the community even at division level, empower and develop their capacity to handle all community concerns.
Gladys Natugonza the Senior Environmental Officer Fort Portal City revealed that despite the climax of USMID Project, they still have a functional grievance redress committee composed of 5 members but are resource constrained to handle all issues in the community.
In his closing remarks, Wandera Micheal, the President City Development Forum noted that some of the grievances being registered at community level are being created at the Ministry level noting that it will be difficult for local governments to manage them. He highlighted the need for government to facilitate these grievances handling committees so as to fully implement their mandate.
