KCCA spent UGX 3bn on rent for Engineer’s office

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA spent 3.6 billion shillings to rent offices.

This was revealed by the acting Executive Director KCCA, Andrew Kitaka on Wednesday to Members of Parliament on the Committee of Commission, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises-COSASE. He was responding to a technical audit query in the report of the Auditor General’s report for 2016/2017.

Kitaka says that the authority rented the offices for 30 months at 120 million shillings per month in Naguru for an engineer involved in improving junctions at Fairway, Kira Road, Mambule road, Makerere Hill Road and Hoima Road.

The report noted that KCCA signed a contract with China Railways Seventh Group for the improvement of select junctions but KCCA made a loss of 3.7 billion shillings. Assets lost include 50 million shillings for surveying equipment, laboratory equipment for the engineer worth shillings 130 million and shillings 3.6 billion to furnish and equip offices for the engineer.

Kitaka explained that KCCA did not make payments for the surveying and laboratory equipment but rented the premises for the engineer because it was not the intention of KCCA to acquire the property.

Ruhinda County MP, Mugabe Doniozio Kahonda, Sheema County MP, Naome Kibaaju and Ngora County MP David Abala asked Kitaka for the details of the project and why KCCA did not opt to rent premises elsewhere at lower prices.

However, Kitaka said that buying premises would stall the projects because it would involve land acquisition which most times is a long process.

Kashari County MP, Nathan Itungo Twesigye demanded for the documents as proof that the offices were indeed rented and the particulars of the landlord.

MPs tasked Kitaka to appear before the committee on 30th July with the identities of the engineer and to also respond to the other audit queries in the 2016/2017 financial year which include claims of double payments amounting to 102 million shillings and delayed execution of road works among others.

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