Devki Steel Mills receives 60 acres for iron ore mining in Rubanda

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has officially handed over 60 acres of land to Devki Steel Mills Limited to facilitate an iron ore mining project in the Rubanda District of Uganda. The project aims to support President Yoweri Museveni’s policy of prioritizing mineral value addition within the country.

During the handover ceremony in Mufumba Village, residents and local leaders expressed significant concerns regarding inadequate compensation for the land. Affected individuals argued that the proposed payments of between Shs3 million and Shs5 million were insufficient to secure alternative land. In response, Prime Minister Nabbanja directed the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development to conduct a fresh, house-to-house and land-to-land valuation exercise to ensure fair assessments.

Additionally, the Prime Minister ordered the immediate payment of a 30 per cent disturbance allowance. As of the latest reports, 99 of the 161 project-affected persons have received compensation, allowing the mining project to move toward commencement.