MPs, Masaka mayor clash over funds

Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja and area Members of Parliament are in a fresh clash over idle funds meant to implement various projects in the city.

During Easter Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Kitovu Cathedral in Masaka City, the Commissioner of Parliament, who is also Nyendo-Mukungwe Constituency MP, Mr Mathias Mpuuga, appealed to the city leadership to reduce time spent on ‘unnecessary activities’ and concentrate on turning around the new city.

Mr Mpuuga, in response to Bishop Serverus Jjumba’s call for both Masaka City leadership and MPs to bury their hatchets and work for the people, said as legislators, they are working together and they have lobbied for funds for various projects, but the city leadership has failed to put them to use.

“We have secured funds for the improvement of roads. More than Shs16 billion for the reconstruction of Masaka Recreation Grounds and over Shs1.5 billion for the construction of the new city headquarters since 2018 has never served the purpose,” he said. 

In the health and education sectors, Mr Mpuuga talked about the Shs600 million lobbied for rehabilitation of Kyabakuza Health Centre III. 

However, in the last financial year, the funds were returned to the Consolidated Fund due to failure by the city authorities to utilise them.

“I appeal to my fellow city leaders to refocus and put such funds to use for the benefit of our people,” he said.

Dr Abed Bwanika, the Kimaanya-Kabonera Constituency MP, said Shs9.5 billion is already on city council accounts for Masaka Recreation Grounds.

“But according to what we hear, the money is going to be returned to the centre as was the case with Kyabakuza Health Centre II. The challenge is with the city’s technocrats and the political wing. I heard that there are queries about the contractor hired to upgrade the stadium but we’re not seeing any effort to address those gaps. It’s challenging to recall funds that have gone back to the centre like it was the case on Shs600 million for the health facility,” he stated.

Defence 
However, in her response, Ms Namayanja attributed the delays to utilise the funds to the city technical wing and policy hiccups over which they have limited authority.

In an interview at the weekend, Ms Namayanja said the procurement process for a contractor of Masaka Recreation Ground, which is handled by the office of the city clerk, is causing the delay for the works to begin. 

“For us as politicians, our work is to follow how the resources are being utilised but the actual works are done by the technocrats. As Council, we have summoned the City Clerk, Mr Vincent Okurut, to update us within one week,” she said.

On the funds meant to renovate Kyabakuza Health Centre III, Ms Namayanja said construction works are ongoing but that she was not sure of the source of funding. She promised to find out when she visits the facility with the Works Committee later this month. 

On the issue of the new city headquarters, Ms Namayanja said all was set to commence construction works last year but the failure of the Masaka District administration to vacate the site at Kitabiro Hill and the wrangles surrounding the new site near Masaka Golf Course are stunting the process.

“We engaged the Ministry of Local Government for guidance which is still in vain, but if we get a go-ahead, works will commence immediately at Kitabiro,” she added.