The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has ordered a special audit on road works in greater Luwero districts.
On Friday, Nabbanja summoned district leaders and technical staff from the districts of Luwero, Nakaseke, and Nakasongola for an assessment on service delivery.
At the meeting held at Luwero UNRA station, Nabbanja tasked each district engineer to account for funds disbursed for road works in the financial year 2021/22.
Robert Kalenzi, the Luwero district engineer told Nabbanja that the district received 372 million Shillings for road works and used it on 42 kilometers of the road network.
However, when Nabbanja tasked him to present the list of the roads worked on, he failed.
Kalenzi pleaded with Nabbanja for some time to present the roads but never returned in the meeting.
In Nakasongola, district engineer Joseph Arinaitwe told Nabbanja that the district received 286 million shillings but failed to account for it, saying that he was in a new office.
Sam Kigula, the LCV chairperson Nakasongola blamed the former district engineer Bob Masembe, for carrying out shoddy work and lack of transparency.
Masembe was not present in the meeting and Nabbanja ordered his arrest to explain how the funds were used.
In Nakaseke, Steven Ssekayingo, the district engineer told Nabbanja that they received 272 million shillings and used it to work on three roads but failed to explain how much they spent on each road.
Ramathan Kato, the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer defended Ssekayingo saying he was new in office and revealed that his predecessor Arnold Mugwanya is under investigation over the irregularities.
Sarah Najjuma, the District woman Member of Parliament said although the district claims to have worked on the three roads, it was substandard, an acrued debts amounting to 80 million shillings for unpaid fuel yet funds were disbursed.
Ecweru Musa, the State Minister for Works told Nabbanja that engineers deposit government funds at petrol stations for fueling the road units to work on, but withdraw it for personal use.
Ecweru also revealed that the engineers also inflate bills of quantities for road works and swindle the government funds
Rosemary Namayanja Nsereko, the Deputy Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement said although the government has injected adequate funds into the road sector, the residents are still crying foul over impassable roads.
Nabbanja ordered the Uganda Road Fund to carry out special audits on all road works done in Nakaseke, Nakasongola, and Luwero within the last year before action is taken against accused engineers.
Nabbanja said the meeting was a directive by President Yoweri Museveni after MPs complained to him that the roads were in a sorry state yet the government disburses funds for works.
Nabbanja was accompanied by eight ministers including Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi, Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba, and Public Service Minister Muruuli Mukasa among others.
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