MBARARA RCC ORDERS ARREST OF CITY ENGINEER OVER SHODDY WORK AT BUGAASHE P/S

photo credits: courtesy NTV
By Aggrey Twesigye
www.mknewslink.com
In Mbarara—-

Mbarara City South Deputy Resident City Commissioner has ordered for the arrest Of Mbarara City Engineer ,Ms. Melina Kekijusyo for failure to monitor the construction of three classroom block at Bugaashe 1 primary school in Nyakayojo , Mbarara city south Division.

Moses Aruho ordered the arrest of Eng. Melina on Tuesday Evening as he led a team of Mbarara city leaders who had gone for Commissioning ceremony at the Nyakayojo based school.

According to RCC Aruho they could not Commission the government funded project as the contractor delivered shoddy works. He added the City Engineer Ms.Melina Kekijusyo was reluctant in monitoring the project.

Mbarara City contracted Sango Bay Technical Engineering Company Limited to construct a three classroom block at Bugaashe 1 Primary School after receiving Shillings 97million from the Central government in the 2020/2021 financial year.

The contractor was expected to complete the project in June last year. However, the contractor handled part of the job poorly and disappeared from the site after receiving half payment.

Jedius Karetwa, the Mbarara City Deputy Inspector of Schools, said the contractor was advanced Shillings 70 million. He added that they expected to complete the payment in June last year upon the completion of the project but he vanished from the site without completing the work.

Karetwa said that the failure of the contractor to complete the work in time has caused confusion at the school since primary seven pupils now study with their Primary six counterparts due to a shortage of classrooms.

Karetwa noted that the works look complete but the floor and some walls have developed cracks even before the project is handed over.

The Mbarara City Mayor, Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi noted that he was shocked to find different classes sharing one classroom while the new block is closed because of shoddy works.

Kakyebezi advised the City Engineering Department to continue following up bills of quantities in contracts awarded to contractors so that they can deliver the original work.

The headteacher, Mediuos Mushabe, revealed that their biggest challenge is completing the syllabus for the upper classes since teachers have to wait for their colleagues to complete their lessons to allow them to use the same classroom.

The school has an enrollment of 428 pupils.
Emmanuel Begumisa, an Engineer with Sango Bay Technical Engineering Company Limited denies claims that they disappeared from the site, saying that they ran short of funds and are pursuing a loan to complete the work.

He argued that since they are paid in phases, the work on the ground is commensurate to the money they received from the city.