Leaders accuse UNRA of giving contract to 2 firms

A section of the road between Sembabule and River Katonga that is under construction. COURTESY PHOTO

Sembabule- Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), a government agency charged with developing and maintaining national roads, is in the spotlight for allegedly awarding a road project in Semababule District to two construction firms.
District leaders claim that the construction works on a section of the road between Sembabule and River Katonga, measuring 22km being undertaken by China Railway No.3 Engineering Group, had already been awarded to Mtech Technical Services.
Led by Mr Henry Baguma, the Resident District Commissioner, the leaders claim UNRA never communicated this development to them.

“This section (Sembabule –River Katongo Road) was already worked on and tarmacked since it is part of the 110-kilometre road project, which is currently under construction by China Railway No.3 Engineering Group,” Mr Baguma asserts.

Mr Baguma says if the matter is not thoroughly investigated, it will cost taxpayers a lot of money which could have been used to work on other roads.

The road
The 110-kilometre road, which China Railway No.3 Engineering Group is working on, connects Gomba, Sembabule and Bukomansimbi districts.

The leaders presented their concern to officials from the Manifesto Implementation Unit-(MIU) in the Office of the President; who are currently assessing the progress on implementation of NRM Manifesto commitments in the area.

Mr Jude Kiganda, the district deputy chairperson, told MIU officials that records at the district were showing that Shs2.5 billion was allocated for the Sembabule –Katonga road.
Mr Kiganda added that after detecting this anomaly, the district raised the issue with UNRA officials who promised to sort out the matter.

“We were told that the issue was too simple and that it can be solved amicably by asking the contractor to work on any other road under UNRA, a promise that has not been fulfilled,” Mr Kiganda said.

However, when contacted, Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the UNRA media relations manager, clarified that it wasn’t a case of double contracting although he agrees that part of the 58km Mbirizi-Mateete-Sembabule-Katonga road was given to another contractor, China Railway No.3 Engineering Group.

Mr Ssempebwa insists that Mtech Technical Services had only been contracted to do routine maintenance on the road, but part of it (Sembabule-Katonga road) was later considered for tarmacking and the contract awarded to China Railway No.3 Engineering Group.

“There is no cause of alarm. Mtech Technical Services had to carry out maintenance work on Mbirizi-Mateete- Sembabule-Katonga road, but a section between Sembabule-Katonga was taken over for construction.” he said, adding that “So, our team has identified other road sections within the district that need urgent attention to compensate accordingly.”

As a result, Mr Ssempebwa said Unra is currently preparing new terms of reference for Mtech Technical Services and the process is due for approval.

Investigations
Before the new UNRA management headed by the executive director, Ms Allen Kagina came to office, the road agency was hit by a number of scandals where government reportedly lost billions of money.

The former authority management, according to a report by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire Commission of Inquiry into UNRA operations, had paid Shs577b to suspected ghost claimants and in other dubious transactions during the process of land acquisitions for various roads projects over a period of seven years.