Contractors abandon Bundibugyo schools
Butolya Primary School in Bundibugyo District has not yet been renovated despite a contractor being awarded the project. PHOTO/Longino Muhindo.
What you need to know:
- The deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr Umari Muhanguzi, said some of the companies are associated with district civil servants, who lack the capacity.
The contractors, who were awarded different deals to refurbish government schools at more than Shs600m in Bundibugyo District, are on the spot over failure to complete the works.
At the beginning of the financial year 2021/2022, the district allocated Shs627.9m to renovate 108 primary and secondary schools, but only 79 schools were renovated.
Some of the abandoned projects include Kahumbu Primary School at Shs5.6m, Butolya PS (Shs5.9m), Mabele PS, Butolya immunisation centre (Shs 8.5m), construction of a pit-latrine at Busendwa PS (Shs20m), upgrade of Kyondo Health Centre II to health centre III (Shs650m). The district allocated Shs20m for the construction of a pit-latrine at Busendwa Primary School, but the contractor abandoned the site at excavation level.
The deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr Umari Muhanguzi, said some of the companies are associated with district civil servants, who lack the capacity.
“I have told the CAO (chief administrative officer) to interest himself in the matter. We condemn these actions of civil servants using some people’s companies to do contracts in the district because it undermines service delivery,” Mr Muhanguzi said.
He said it is unfortunate that the district paid some of the contractors without completing renovation works.
Mr Umari Muhanguzi, the head teacher of Mutsahura PS, said the contractor only sent three bags of cement and renovated one wall.
“We refused to recommend him for payment and I think he was a civil servant because he is threatening us for not signing his documents. We don’t know whether the district paid him or not,” he said.
The district assistant chief administrative officer, Mr Zakayo Kisungu, said his office has commenced investigations to find out the alleged civil servants who were given contractors.
“We have received this information and we shall act accordingly,” Mr Kisungu said.
Efforts to get a comment from some of the contractors were futile as they said the matter is being investigated.
