Controversy As Contractors Execute Projects Before Commissioning

At least 8 buildings among them, classroom blocks in Mubende were constructed before the official commissioning by the district authorities. The others are houses for staff and medical personnel in the area. Mubende district officials had set this month to flag off the works led by the LC V Chairperson, Michael Natmbi Muhereza but they were shocked to find the classroom blocks already in place. 

Some of the buildings are at the roofing stage while others are at wall plate level. At Kyakasimbi Primary School in Kibaringa Sub County where the team was set to commission the construction of a two-classroom block, they found the building at the roofing stage.  Wilberforce Kizza, a former councillor explained that they received approval from the district for construction of a classroom block worth Shillings 120 million in the current financial year but they were surprised to see construction works start at the beginning of February.  

He says that their joint efforts together with the school administration to find out from the district engineer and the district education officer about the works didn't yield results. At Lwegula Primary School and Muyinayina Primary School, the district officials found the building almost complete, which angered the chairperson. He protested the manner in which, the contractor is doing the work. 

Muwereza says that although they contracted Heavy Investment construction company to construct a two-classroom block at Kyakasimbi Primary school they didn't hand over the site officially. He says that there is no way the district will pay for the construction works, which were never commissioned. Muwereza also rejected the construction works at Muyinayina Primary School, saying that the district will come at an appropriate time to commission the works in line with the agreed terms and standards.     

According to Muwereza, the contractors exhibited impunity in flouting the rules that govern the implementation of contracts, saying it appears there is collusion with the technical staff to do shoddy work. He blamed the technical staff at the district for failure to effectively communicate the projects to the leadership, which undermines their role and efforts.  But Noerine Nankabirwa, the proprietor of the construction company undertaking the works at Lwegula Primary School, says that they will complete the work and handover the project because they followed the right procedures.      

 

Abdul Latif Ssembajwe, the contractor at Muyinayina Primary School, said that the complaints raised by the chairperson are false because the works are in line with the contract terms.  He also said that they received instructions from the District Education Officer- DEO to commence the works.  At Lubimbiri Health Center II in Lubirmbiri Sub County, the team failed to commission the construction of the staff quarters due to the absence of the contractor and Bills of Quantities.

At Butawaata Health Center III in Kibaringa Sub County, the district team did not find the contractor on-site and the requisite documents.  Mubende Resident District Commissioner, Amooti Nyakweera Baguma, said that they were meant to Commission the construction of 9 projects but they only managed to commission 2, which include a classroom block at Buwaata Primary School worth Shillings 87million in Kigando Sub County and teachers’ houses at St. Mary’s primary school, Gwanika in Nabingoola Sub County.  

//Cue in:“olaba contractor asobola… 

Cue out:...nga wafu,"//             

       

Muwereza complaining - Lug             

According to Ms Baguma, the contractors started the works without authorization and for the construction of medical staff houses at the contractor was not found on-site and no documentation in regard to the plan was found with the workers on site.

//Cue in: "We had a programme… 

Cue out:…our technical staff…”//                     

RDC Baguma explains