Prime
Leaders reject contractor for new Masaka Stadium
People engage outside the perimetre wall of Masaka Recreation Ground yesterday. Inset is the artistic impression of the upgrade of the centre as a stadium. PHOTO/MALIK FAHAD JJINGO
What you need to know:
City councillors say the company has a bad record in executing projects and incompetent.
Members of the Works Committee of Masaka City Council have rejected the best-evaluated bidder for a multi-billion recreation grounds upgrading project, claiming the bidder is not competent.
During a committee sitting last week, the councillors led by Ms Zahara Nalubyayi, (representing Kimaanya Ward ), claimed the city’s procurement committee did not carry out due diligence on Kaleeta Construction Limited, the firm evaluated as the best bidder for rehabilitating Masaka Recreation grounds.
“The best bidder, Kaleeta Construction Limited, has a record of shoddy work in previous projects like in the districts of Ntungamo, Kanungu, and here in Kiyimbwe, Masaka District where the company reportedly abandoned a site before completing the work. We think the process should be halted until thorough investigations are done,” Ms Nalubyayi said.
The resolutions by the Works Committee, come at a time when the 10 days stipulated in the law for the display of the best-evaluated bidder for the rehabilitation of the Masaka Recreation Grounds had elapsed.
According to the February 13 display notice signed by the city clerk, Mr Vincent Okurut, the removal date for the best-evaluated bidder notice was February 27, 2024.
According to available records at Masaka City Council procurement and disposal office, the rehabilitation of Masaka Recreation Ground project attracted nine bidders of which Kaleeta Construction Ltd emerged best.
An officer at the city procurement department who preferred anonymity to speak freely about the bidding process said there is no cause for alarm. The source said displaying any firm as the best-evaluated does not guarantee an automatic acceptance of the bid.
“There is always room for an aggrieved bidder to lodge a complaint which has to be disposed of before any other process is undertaken…A bidder who is not satisfied has to pay a non-refundable amount of fees to lodge a complaint which has to be looked into and handled before the next step is taken, other than the bidders that were in the process, no one else has a right to question the process,” the source explained.
The councillors’ concerns also come at a time when leaders and residents are demanding answers on delays in starting the construction works for the stadium.
Mr Rogers Mulindwa, an official at the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) and also a senior manager in charge of Information and public relations at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretariat, said the football regulatory body is considering sending a delegation to Masaka to find out what has delayed the construction works despite the government releasing the money.
Recently, Masaka City Mayor, Ms Florence Namayanja said after upgrading of Masaka Recreational Centre, the focus will turn to Bulando, a city suburb where they plan to set up another multibillion stadium in partnership with private investors.
Located on Plot 3-5 Broadway Road in the heart of Masaka City, the recreation centre sits on 7.92 acres.
Upon completion, the centre will be a 15,000-seater stadium, which will have an artificial turf, spaces for indoor games, a swimming pool, commercial structures like shops, restaurants and conference halls to generate revenue for the council.
More than Shs18.5 billion is expected to be spent on the project. The money is being disbursed in phases and the city has so far received Shs6.3 billion for the project.
Since its official opening by Sir Andrew Cohen, the former British Governor in 1954, Masaka Recreation Centre has not had any major renovation. Part of the facility was destroyed during the 1979 liberation war that toppled former President Idi Amin Dada.
