Yet to be unidentified people on Sunday broke into the offices of the Community Transformatiom Foundation Network (COTFONE), making off with several laptop computers.
The thieves made off with several documents and information rich tablets, which were being housed inside the offices located in Kiwandala township, Kiseka Sub-county, Lwengo district.
COTFONE is an indigenous non-profit organisation that was established in Masaka in 2006, with the commitment to support underprivileged members of the community cope with life challenges.
Its activities have also been largely centred on the need to aid vulnerable people displaced by the construction of East African Oil Pipeline (EACOP), access justice, through ensuring their compensation by government.
These vulnerable groups include the elderly, the sick, people with disabilities (PWD’s), orphans, and other minorities.
At the moment of the sad happening, COTFONE has been at the forefront of championing for the compensation of vulnerable people in various parts of the country, that were displaced by the construction of the controversial pipeline, with Lwengo district taking centre stage.
The Coordinator for operations at COTFONE, Kayinga Mudungu said the thugs stole about four laptop computers, two tablets, six mobile phones, and several important documents.
While reporting a case of burglary at a police post in Kimanya-Kabonera Masaka, Mudungu said the burglars’ first attempt was to break into his home premises, but they were countered by neighbours.
After being repelled, they took their frustration to the company premises, broke into its offices and made off with items worth millions of shillings.
Police spokesperson for greater Masaka region Mohammed Nsubuga confirmed the burglary incident, asserting that the case has been filed, as investigations into the matter Kickstart.
The sad development comes against the backdrop of stepped up efforts by several NGOs in Uganda , to ensure the compensation of locals displaced by the construction of the 1445 KM East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
For instance, on February 3rd 2022, Managing Director for Civic Response on Environment and Development (CRED) Bashir Twesigye, urged government to strategize in the process of compensating locals displaced by pipeline construction.
“If any person has complaints, an arrangement should be put in place, a grievance mechanism at the lowest level possible, either on village, or subcounty level where such a person can forward his/her complaints for redress. You dont expect everyone, especially a common man to go to court. Going to court is not a flexible solution for most people. Most of them even fear going to courts,” said Twesigye.
According to Bank Track, the pipeline project threatens to displace more thousands of families and farmers from their land.
Too bad for these locals, operations of this entity that has been working around the clock to ensure their compensation remain shrouded in mystery after this incident.
It remains to be seen how and when the compensation of these people will be effected.
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