Municipal, district officials  clash over roadworks data

Officials at Bushenyi District and Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipal Council are loggerheads after the municipality denied bills of quantities to the district chairperson, Mr Jafari Basajabalaba.

This publication has learnt that on June 20, Mr Basajabalaba using Section 13(I)d of the Local Governments Act CAP 243 wrote to the municipal authorities seeking information about Kabirisi, Kyeitembe, and Nyamushekyera-tankhil roads rehabilitation, but the documents were not availed to him.
Mr Basajabalaba told this reporter that he sought to have access to bills of quantities, progress and financial reports not later than June 30. 
“I used official channels to communicate my request but I did not get any breakthrough,” he said.
On July 6, the chairperson wrote a reminder and attached an information request form to validate his request in vain.
According to Mr Basajabalaba, the actions of the municipal officials disregard his mandate as enshrined in the Local Government Act.

“They have adamantly refused to give me this information and I am planning to petition both the Minister of Local Government and permanent secretary, Ministry of Finance,” he said.
When contacted about the development, the Bushenyi-Ishaka municipal town clerk, Mr Seleverio Mukobi, said it was not the role of the media to know why the chairperson did not get the information.
“Did the chairman send you to pick that information? Not all public information is availed. We have what we call classified information and not all information is released. If the chairman wants that information, he will get it, but not through you,” Mr Mukobi said.

The Bushenyi District speaker, Mr Douglas Mucunguzi, condemned the actions of the municipal authorities, adding that the chairperson is entitled to such information.
“The district chairperson is a big man and I don’t think he needed that information for something bad. Two, the Local Government Act allows him to get that information,” he said.
The municipal deputy town clerk, Mr Didas Muhanguzi, however, said the required information was previously forwarded.
Background
In December 2021, the Bushenyi Resident District Commissioner, Ms Jane Asiimwe Muhindo, directed that public servants and government project contractors must avail project documents such as bills of quantities to the public.
According to Ms Asiimwe, the development aimed at making stakeholders get involved in the full life span of government projects and also fight corruption.