The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party has called on the government of Uganda to consider a local investor to develop the former Kiteezi landfill that has recently been decommissioned.
While addressing the press at Uganda House on October 16, 2024, the party spokesperson, Sharon Arach Oyat, said that if the government advocates for Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU), then it should get a local contractor to redevelop the Kiteezi landfill and not a foreign company.
“Last week, the media was awash with news that the government has entered into a partnership with an investor from Ghana to develop the Kitezi landfill area. The Party calls upon the government to prioritize local companies that deal in such business to promote BUBU,” Oyat said.
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Oyat further asked the government to do due diligence on companies before awarding them contracts and also follow the normal bidding procedures.
“However much we need development as a country, due diligence on companies and investors undertaking such projects is paramount to avoid fleecing of public funds,” she added.
On Monday, October 14, 2024, the Kampala city lord mayor, Erias Lukwago, raised the same complaints, saying that the government offering Kiteezi land to a Ghanaian company known as Jaspong Group of companies was done without any due diligence and flawed all procurement procedures.
“In the meantime, the communication made by the ministry of Kampala that Kiteezi landfill had been handed over to the Jaspong group of companies should be retracted awaiting finalization of the harmonization arrangements,” Lukwago warned.
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It is believed that the process of decommissioning Kiteezi landfill and clearing the garbage and putting it into other uses was meant to cost the Ugandan government over UGX 70 billion, though the Jaspong group of companies had offered to do it at zero cost and turn Kiteezi landfill into a recreation center, an offer that sounded too good to be true for the KCCA political wing.
The Kiteezi landfill incident that claimed over 35 lives and displaced a number of families was decommissioned, and the government has warned residents around the area to vacate because there is a possibility of another collapse, which could be soon or in the near future.
