The construction works to upgrade the infrastructures at Namanve Industrial Park have continued to stall despite several leniencies to deliver the multi-billion project.
Signed on September 24, 2018, between the Ugandan Investment Authority, UIA, and M/S Lagan Dott Namanve Ltd. to construct infrastructures including roads, tarmacking, traffic systems, lighting, water distribution, and waste management, at the cost of $265 million (Shs 972 million), the contract was originally scheduled to be completed in 2023, but the deadline was extended to 2024, with only 50% of the work delivered.
A reliable source has revealed that the contract has further been hit by the alarming fuel siphoning, with approximately 1,500 liters of petrol and diesel being stolen daily.
Other problems include theft of materials and unforeseen feasibility challenges, including flooding, which should be addressed immediately if the project is to be completed. The glaring question is, who are the big shots behind this theft?
The continued delay has since exposed the weakness among the Uganda Investment Authority’s top officials who were directly tasked to supervise the construction works.
“At this point, as investors operating from here (Namanve Industrial Park), we want the contractor, Lagan, and top officials from the Ministry of Finance and UIA to be held accountable. We demand accountability from the authority as to why this project hasn’t been completed,” Rahim Bukesh, an investor, said.
Another investor who spoke on condition of anonymity suspects that some top government officials could be the reasons why the project has stalled for years.
“Who is sleeping on his/her job? Why is UIA and the Ministry of Finance silent about the stalled project when it is affecting our operations here at Namanve?” he said.
Currently most roads within Namanve Industrial Park are in appalling status with no lights, traffic systems, and dirty, flooded drainage systems.
