Minister halts opening of new Lukaya market
Kalungu- The State Minister for Works, Gen Katumba Wamala, has halted the opening of a new market in Lukaya Town Council, Kalungu District, on the Kampala-Masaka highway, citing constructional concerns.
Gen Wamala said when he inspected the market recently, he realised that the contractor had disregarded some crucial areas which will affect vendors and buyers.
“I noticed some key constructional issues that need attention of the contractor before he officially hands it over to the local leaders,” he said in a telephone interview on Monday.
Gen Wamala said the lane branching off to the market should be widened as well as the parking space and the drainage system be improved.
“Since the market is located on the highway and in a low lying area, such things need to be addressed to avoid accidents and flooding inside the market,” he said.
Construction of the market started in 2011, but town officials disagreed with the first contractor, saying he was doing shoddy work.
They raised their concern to the Ministry of Works in 2012, which later contracted Sumadhura Technologies Company Ltd in 2016 to complete the works.
The new contractor had promised to finish the work by December last year.
Mr Gerald Ssenyondo, the town council chairperson, told Daily Monitor that they had already written to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works expressing displeasure over the delayed completion of the project.
“Our people had already paid money to work in the new market and we have no plan of refunding it. Let the contractor fix what the minister raised so that people can occupy the market without any further delay,’’ Mr Ssenyondo said.
He said there were some advertisment companies that wanted to erect billboards at the market, but they stopped them until the contractor officially hands it over to them.
Mr Ssenyondo said the highway is flooded by vendors who should be relocated to gazetted markets.
One of the proprietors of Sumadhura Technologies, who preferred anonymity, said government has not yet officially communicated to them to carry out modifications.
“We completed the project and are
waiting for government to clear the balance,” he said by telephone without disclosing how much money government still owes the company.
Recently, Mr James Taremwa, an engineer with the company, said the project cost Shs 1.8 billion.
Mr Patrick Nsubuga, a resident in Lukaya Town, welcomed the ministerial directive, saying the market should also be expanded to accommodate more vendors.
“The new stalls will accommodate few vendors yet many have nowhere to operate from,” he said.
