Fort Portal City seeks Shs3b for office block

BY ALEX ASHABA

Fort Portal City is seeking about Shs3 billion to complete the construction of an administration block.
Authorities say the completion of the structure, which will house the headquarters of the Central Division, has stalled for about 10 years due to lack of funds.

The interim city mayor, Rev Kintu Willy Muhanga, says the storeyed structure, which will be based at Booma, will improve service delivery.

The city has two divisions; Central and North.
“The new administration block will be the headquarters of the Central Division, according to the new guidelines for the new cities,” Rev Muhanga says.

He explains that of the required Shs3 billion, Shs1.2 billion is urgently needed to complete the ground floor, which they can occupy.

He adds that they have already installed windows, doors and electricity on the ground floor, a phase that cost about Shs200 million.

The construction of the administration block started under the leadership of former mayor Edison Asaba.
However, Rev Muhanga says on assuming leadership in 2016, he found debts of about Shs400 million.

“When I was elected in 2016, I found when the contractor was demanding money and we started by clearing the debt of the contractor,” he says.

Currently, Fort Portal City is operating from the old structure that was built in 1952, which they share with the Police, the Resident District Commissioner and Kabarole District health department.

Before acquiring a city status, the urban authority has been conducting council sessions in hotels due to limited space.

Rev Muhanga reveals after the 2021 General Election, Fort Portal City headquarters will relocate from Booma to the current offices of Kabarole District at Kitumba in Central Division. The district authorities will also shift to Busoro Sub-county.

The Kabarole District council, in June, resolved to shift its headquarters to Busoro Sub-county. The district chairperson, Mr Richard Rwabuhinga, says they require Shs2b to build a new district administration block.

Queries over quality
However, Mr Stephen Ruyonga, a former member of the finance committee of Fort Portal Municipality, says even after they have so far spent a lot on the ground floor of the new block, there is no value for money.

“The walls of the ground floor were supposed to be of maxipan but what they have used is bricks. Windows and doors, which they have used are not of good quality; I don’t see value for money,” Mr Ruyonga says.

He adds that the city owed a lot of money to hotels whose conference rooms they have been using to hold council meetings. “I am told even hotels we hire for holding council sessions are demanding some money. We need to prioritise the completion of the administration block,” Mr Ruyonga says.