Construction of UGX 23b Kitgum Main Market Resumes

The construction of Kitgum Main Market has resumed.  This comes three weeks after construction of the multi-billion market was temporarily halted over surge in cases of Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country and lockdown restrictions instituted by the government.

Alfred Alexis Abonga, Kitgum Municipal Council Engineer told Uganda Radio says that some of the technical officials were left stuck in Kampala while some materials were not readily available at the time lockdown was instituted.

He says the contractor, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd also found it necessary to temporarily halt works after cases of covid-19 increased in the district and around the country.

“When Lockdown was instituted, it found some of the technical staffs like the Project Manager in Kampala, it meant he had limited supervision, also covid-19 cases worried them a lot and made them halt works,” he said.

Abonga however notes that following the three weeks of no works, the contractor finally resumed work after acquiring the necessary materials like cement and reinforcement bars.

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Abonga says despite the temporary halting of construction for the past three weeks, the progress of works is promising and currently at 70 percent adding that he anticipates the contractor will beat the November 30 contract deadline.

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Kitgum Main Market was meant to be completed by July this year after its construction commenced in June 2019.

The Local Government Ministry however extended the contract for the construction of the 23 billion shillings’ market in April by five more months till November 30 following requests made by the contractor through SABA Engineering PLC, the project consultant.

The contractor in a report to the government highlighted challenges ranging from the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 that saw suspension of work on-site and heavy rainfall, which affected work on Block B.

They also highlighted the adverse ground conditions, where the contractor encountered groundwater in the foundation, which was not in the site investigation reports and the resultant designs.

Currently, the contractor has so far made progress on Block A where they are finalizing with roofing, beam filling, walling, construction of stalls, and electrical installation.

The Market is expected to accommodate more than 200 vendors who will occupy 1,500 stalls and over 600 lockup shops once its construction funded by the African Development Bank-AfDB is completed.