MBARARA CAO, ENGINEER ON SPOT FOR ENDORSING SHODDY WORK

By Twesigye Aggrey
MBARARA

Mbarara district Chief Administrative Officer Edward Kasagala and the district engineer William Bananuka are on the spot for paying and allowing the commissioning of two school projects that were executed shoddily.

The schools are Kitengure Primary school in Bukiro Town council and Nyakayojo II primary school in Rwanyamahembe Town council.

At Kitengure Primary school the government awarded the construction of staff quarters and a Pit latrine to M/S Quest International at a cost of shs.87million and the project was supposed to last one year to completion.whereas at Nyakayojo II primary school the contract was awarded to Frambo General Services to construct staff quarters at a tune of Shs.101 million.

Mbarara District Councillors sitting last week in a council meeting held at Kamukuzi, Mbarara district headquarters claimed that during their monitoring tour they witnessed shoddy work including cracked walls, and floors noting that despite the poor works the chief Administrative Officer and the engineer allowed their Commissioning.

However, the Commissioning was later blocked and delayed by the district works Committee over shoddy work.

Benard Mugume the secretary Works committee told the council that his report was very clear on the two schools noting that they refused to agree with the Commissioning of the schools until the contractors delivers the desired work.

He also questioned the mannerin which the chief Administrative Officer paid off the contractors of the two projects when the Committe report was clear on the shoddy works

Venance Munanukye the District speaker directed the chief Administrative Officer,Chief Finance officer ,the district engineer ,the district councillors representing the two town Councils and the district chairperson to investigate the two companies and the works and later report back to council.

Representing the district engineer William Bananuka a civil engineer with the works department Mbarara District Local government agreed with the Councillors that some of the works at the said Schools were shoddy noting that some contractors diverted from the bills of Quantities.

He said that some contractors were not qualified to do the projects that they were awarded despite having well prepared Bills Of Quantities and that their payments and certificates are still held in the office of the chief Administrative Officer until they do good.