Kagadi District Roads Committee Anxious of Losing Close to Sh700M Road Fund

KAGADI

Members of the Kagadi district Roads committee have inspected the roads that were constructed in the 2022/2023 Financial Year in the two constituencies that make up the district.

The inspection was aimed at monitoring government funds released under two categories of Uganda Road Fund and Transitional Fund equivalent to sh. 718 million.

The team led by the committee chairperson Janepher Kyomuhendo Mbabazi, who doubles as Kagadi district woman Member of Parliament, Member of Parliament for Buyaga East Eric Musana Acaali, district chairperson Yosia Ndibwami, district vice chairperson and also secretary works, Peter Mugisa Sebugwaho, LC3 chairpersons, district councilors and superintendent of works Charles Byaruhanga supervised all the roads that were constructed and those under construction to ensure value for money.

They inspected the 19KM Kyadyoko,-Kabamba-Kasimbi road that cost sh90 million, the 11.4KM Mabaale-Nyabutanzi-Kyamasega road valued at sh75 million in Buyaga East constituency and the works on the going 22KM Kiryani-Ruteete-Kisuura road that was valued at sh100 million among others.

The chairperson of Kagadi district roads committee, who doubles as Kagadi district woman Member of Parliament Janepher Kyomuhendo Mbabazi however expressed concern over the huge sums of money still lying idle on the district account yet the Financial Year is coming to an end.

Mbabazi however said the team discovered that there were some roads that were not worked on well and she ordered the team led by the acting district engineer to go back and rehabilitate the road.

“We note there are some roads that have been worked on well and there are also those roads that need to be re-worked and we have actually ordered the team to go back and correct the messes. We cannot accept any shoddy work and this time they have to be serious as far as value for money is concerned,” Kyomuhendo Janepher told journalists.

This was along the 22KM Kiryani-Ruteete-Kisuura road that was valued at sh100 million.

The Member of Parliament for Buyaga East County, Eric Musana Acaali asked the ministry of works to add the district more road equipment unit to help the district rehabilitate all the roads in the 35 lower local governments that make up the district.

Musana said the team has recommended the office of Chief Administrative Officer to prevail over the engineering department of the district to ensure quality road services.

Musana also added that the value for money stands at 50% but also attributed this to poor quality of work in Buyaga West.

“What is missing is technical input and value for money, the district doesn’t pass the exam” Musana said

Yosia Ndibwami, the Kagadi district Chairman however attributed the delays and incompetence in the works department to understaffing saying that the District Service Commission has failed to attract the district engineer after re-advertising  the position 3 times.

Benjamin Tumusiime, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner says despite the few anomalies, there is some good work done and that there is value for money though there are delays in completion of the works.

Residents however told the committee that the works on their roads were substandard and needed immediate actions before the taxpayers money is misused.

“The works on this Kiryani-Ruteete-Kisuura road are not good. They have reinstalled the old culverts but also the size of the road was reduced and they also put gravel with big stones” said Kana Turyatunga the Chairman NRM Mpeefu Town Council.

“The culverts are rotten and dilapidated. This road was last worked on during former district chairman’s regime Mr. Namyaka George William. We also want our area MP Barnabas Tinkasimire to come and witness this” said Frank Birungi, a resident of Buraza in Mpeefu Yasande Town council.

The Kagadi district works department is expected to construct 145.5 kilometers of 12 roads at a cost of sh857 million before the end of the Financial Year 2022/2023.

Accordingly, only 58.4 kilometers have been completed with over sh718 million lying idle on the district account.

In 2021, Ministry of Works and Transport awarded Grand Engineering Company Limited a contract to construct, grade, shape and gravel the 6.5 kilometer Kabamba-Michinga-Rusekere road at a cost of sh650 million but to date the contractor has never turned up.

Other projects being worked on by the Ministry are the 7.7 KM Ruteete-Kinyarwanda roads at a cost of sh390 million by NABET Construction Company limited.