Contractor on the spot over delayed road works in Mbarara city

Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Multiplex Limited is on the spot over the delayed completion of road works in Mbarara city.

The company was awarded the contract in May 2021 for beautification, street lighting, and rehabilitation of three city roads which include Stanley road (0.78 kilometres), Maj Victor Bwana road (0.95 kilometres), and Galt road (0.63 kilometres), expected to last 12 months at a cost of Shillings 23 billion.

During a meeting held on Wednesday at Mbarara city council Hall, the President of Mbarara City Development Forum, Martin Kananura said they are not convinced that there is progress on the road works.

Dr. Godfrey Barigye, a businessman and member of Mbarara city development forum said according to their observations, there must be a very big problem with the contractor or he is conniving with the city authorities noting that it is hard to believe how one can secure borrow pits and fail to get the environmental assessment certificate from NEMA.

Eng Isaac Mutenyo, the Program Coordinator USMID program expressed disappointment with the contractor for failing to meet his obligation. He says that some structures are still within the road reserve and the works are not at the stage they are expected to be.

“This is a 12 months contract, it is now seven months old which means it has five months left and I think to the observation made on site, it is not possible that it can be completed in the next five months”

According to Mutenyo, the contractor should have relocated the electricity, telecom poles, water lines, and wall fences at this stage.

Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, Mbarara City Mayor says they are failing to understand the ongoing works unless they are given an updated program.

Engineer Edgar Djembe, the Resident Engineer with MBJ technologies and Hassan Consult Limited attributes the delays to the procurement process.

He also says that the change of the consultant from Siraji Nigeria who had developed the designs for the project to Hassan Consult Limited also affected the road works since they had to first review the earlier designs.

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