URN.Eng. Lawrence Walulya the USMID project Engineer says that the contract has applied for an extension of the contract but Asse Abireeba, the Mbarara City Clerk has told the parliamentary committee that the contractor has no capacity to construct the roads.
Members of parliament sitting on the Physical Infrastructural committee have threatened to have the contract for the construction of USMID roads in Mbarara City cancelled.
The Government of Uganda on the 18th May 2021 awarded to Multiplex Limited and Ditaco International trade a joint venture contract to construct three roads in Mbarara City.
The three roads are Major Victor Bwana measuring 0.95KM, Galt Road measuring 0.65KM and Stanley Road measuring 0.78KM at a cost of 23billion shillings.
The construction contract that is left with two weeks was to take 12 months.
However, Eng. Lawrence Walulya the USMID project Engineer says that the contractor has applied for an extension of contract pending approval from USMID and Ministry of Lands.
Walulya has told the members of Parliament that since May last year the contractor has only managed 26.5% of the works on the three roads noting that the slow progress of work is blamed on numerous issues like relocation of Utilities like Water and Sewerage for National water, Internet lines, Electricity and Telephone lines, and Cameras for police.
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He also says that at the onset of the project there was supervising consultant which slowed down the works noting that the team that was set up to supervise could only do mobilization and bush clearing.
He says this delayed the completion of the design reviews since the team never had a hydrologist and material engineer to complete the assignment in time.
Asse Abireeba, the Mbarara City Clerk has told the committee that the contractor has no capacity to construct the roads.
Hon. Robert Kasolo the Deputy Chairperson of the committee says they are disappointed with the progress of the works noting that in the other two municipalities of Ntungamo and Kabale where the contractor was also awarded the contract it is worse.
The Members of parliament have faulted both the contractor and his supervisors for working together to fail the project and failing to present reports.
The Members of Parliament have now proceeded to Kabale for reviewing the same Project and later Ntungamo.
