Gov't Extends Contract for Kitgum Market Construction for the Fourth Time

The government has for the fourth time extended the deadline for the completion of Kitgum Main Market. The market is being constructed under the second phase of the Markets and Agriculture Trade Improvement Project (MATIP 2).

Construction of the 23.8 Billion Shillings market started in June 2019 and was initially scheduled to be completed by July 2021. However, the contractor failed to complete the project within the initial set deadline and was given up to November 30 2021 to complete the project.

The company again requested an extension and was granted another 60 days ending on January 30. With the progress at the market construction currently nearing completion, the deadline will not be achieved, which has prompted the government to grant the contractor additional 60 days ending on March 30.

The contract engineer at the Ministry of Local Government Eng. Denis Magezi says they have persistently justified the deadline extension since the contractor had presented reasonable challenges that affected the completion of the project works as rescheduled. He explains that the delays were due to technical glitches encountered by the contractor at the initial stage of the project construction and the effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID 19) pandemic.

Richard Okwera Ojara, the Kitgum Municipal Mayor says the persistent delays in completion of the market construction have worried vendors who have for the past years been operating in makeshift satellite markets and eager to occupy the new market.

Ojara advised the contractor, the consultants, and the project manager to ensure that all outstanding issues affecting timely contract completion should be addressed within the additional time.

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The site supervisor at China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) Limited, Wang Zhi Wei, reiterates that this is their final extension request and pledged assurance that they will accomplish the work project works within the extended timeline.

The market will accommodate 1,500 vendors and will have lockups, stalls, banking institutions, a beauty care centre, storage facilities, and a daycare centre.