The Members of Parliament (MPs) sitting on the Physical infrastructure committee questioned what they regarded as the high cost for rehabilitating some of the roads in Entebbe municipality notably, the Kampala road within the municipality.
During their inspection and oversight role, the MPs expressed shock for the municipal authority to have appropriated shs13.5bn for upgrading a 2.6km road. Led by Soroti East MP Moses Atan, legislators wondered why one kilometer would cost shs5.2bn, way much higher than an average cost of constructing a new road.
The said roads among other infrastructures being rehabilitated in Entebbe municipality, are being facilitated under Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) in its additional funding. The MPs also wondered why USMID roads in Entebbe are more expensive and yet they are mainly for rehabilitation.
The Ministry of Works and Transport figures indicate that the cost of constructing one kilometre of a tarmac road increased to shs3.1bn in the financial year 2018/2019 from shs1.5bn in 2007 and shs510m in 2000.
Betty Christine Nanfuka, the project manager justified the cost of the project, saying it also entails beautification of Mayor’s Garden and installing solar street lights.
Eng. Sam Owora, the Resident Engineer said, the contractor has to ensure all the roads for rehabilitation in Entebbe will have pedestrian walk ways, covered drains, conduits for utilities like Telecoms and IT, water and sewerage, electricity among others.
Meanwhile, Charles Magumba, the Entebbe municipality town clerk appealed for an increment of funds from the Uganda Road Fund which cater for maintenance and rehabilitation works of the roads. He intimated that some of the roads which were constructed earlier under USMID program, have so far been damaged and some of the street lights vandalised.
Michael Kakembo the area MP was irked by what he termed as wastage of resources since over shs13.bn was appropriated for just a 2.6km road, “leaving a lot of questions unanswered as far as value for money is concerned.”
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