PM Nabbanja Hands 60 Hectares to Devki as Rubanda Iron Ore Project Takes Off

What the report says

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has handed 60 hectares of land to Devki Steel Mills Limited to advance iron ore mining in Mufumba Village, Butare-Katojo Town Council, Rubanda District, according to Nile Post. The handover marks a step forward for a project tied to Uganda’s wider efforts to develop iron ore resources and support domestic steel production.

The article says the project is moving ahead while government works to settle compensation disputes involving more than 160 residents identified as project-affected persons. Nabbanja instructed the Ministry of Lands to complete valuation and payment processes within one week and said the 30% disturbance allowance should be paid immediately. Those directives were issued during the land handover, as officials try to reduce tensions around the project’s rollout.

Local leaders have also raised concerns about mineral exploration licensing in the district. Rubanda LCV chairperson Steven Kasyaba Ampeire warned that unclear licensing and weak coordination could create disputes with communities and called for stronger oversight from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. Devki chairman Dr Narendra Raval said the company wants local residents to benefit through jobs, support for schools and electricity connections. More broadly, the project reflects government-backed plans to link Uganda’s mineral resources with industrial development, though the article notes that community compensation remains a key issue.