Namanve: Contractor blames delayed works on govt entities

Ministers have tasked Lagan Dott, the company government contracted to construct roads, drainage systems and fibre optics in the Kampala Industrial and Business Park at Namanve, to speed up on-going works and deliver the project without further delays.

Last Friday, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija and other ministers visited the Namanve Industrial Park to assess the progress of road construction and other development works.

LaganDott Limited is a joint venture established between UK contractors Lagan Group Limited and local Ugandan contractor DOTT Services Limited to develop the infrastructure for the Kampala Industrial Business Park.

In 2019, the government acquired a loan of €249m (about Shs1 trillion) from UK export finance to develop the park in four years, ending in 2023. However, the works were not completed. As a result, the Finance ministry has given Lagan Dott an extention of two years.  During the tour, Mr Kasaija tasked the contractor to explain why the work was behind schedule. 

Mr Andrew Bemanya, an engineer and the project supervisor, however, explained the delay and cited several challenges including the floods and the red tape in some government agencies.   

“We have struggled to get this work done because [some government] entities have delayed their designs making our work difficult and not ready in the specified time,” Mr Bemanya said. 

The State minister for Investment and Privatisation, Ms Evelyn Anite, during the tour revealed that the contractor had completed 28 of 44km and warned that delayed works were affecting government efforts to create jobs.

“We are concerned about the delays and we have tasked the contractor to work hard and deliver the projects. Everything possible is being done to expedite the development works. The access roads were done, power substation is in place. What’s remaining is the connectivity,” Ms Anite said.

She added: “I found 22 factories in Namanve Industrial Park but I have increased the number to 258. The plan is to have 500 factories in Namanve Industrial Park and this is going to be achieved. We are determined to complete all the works as planned. We have relocated some factories to Jinja and Soroti, in accordance with the presidential directive on wetlands.”  

According to Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) officials, the government seeks to acquire an additional 20 acres of land for the construction of a waste management plant and SMEs park. The search for suitable land in the neighbourhood is ongoing.

Mr Kasaija tasked the management of UIA to sort out the issues of the people surrounding the land so that the government could buy it. 

“Address the water problem and solve the land issue very carefully…We need to involve the environment officers because we do not want fights and quarrels,” Mr Kasaijja said. 

The minister for General Duties, Mr Henry Musasizi, said there were concerns about delays including land that they observed. During the visit, he urged the project managers to work hard and have all the issues sorted to avoid delays. 

“Settle all the outstanding issues before we put money and be mindful that we want to see value of money,” Mr Musasizi said.