Govt blows final whistle on Usmid amid ticks, crosses

Fourteen Local Governments of Gulu, Lira, Arua, Moroto, Tororo, Soroti, Mbale, Jinja, Mbarara, Hoima, Fort Portal, Masaka, Entebbe and Kabale benefited from the project.

The state minister for Urban Development, Mr Obiga Kania, has directed all Local Governments with pending work under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme to finalise and close during this month (July).

The $150m World Bank-funded project, which has been implemented under the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MLHUD), started in the 2013/2014 financial year, and officially closed on June 30.

“I want to direct all Local Governments with works that are not yet fully completed to use this month of July to finalise and close these projects,” Mr Kania said during a two-day closure of a Programme Technical Committee (PTC) meeting in Jinja City on Friday.

He added: “The project initially closed on December 31, 2023, and by the grace of the World Bank, June 30, 2024, was the extension. So, how many more extensions are you asking for? I am now giving you a one-month extension.”

“Our engagement with the World Bank has indicated that any projects not completed by June 30, when the programme officially closes, poses significant challenges when the new programme starts. We have been forewarned (and) now it is our responsibility to act,” he further said. 

Mr Kania said the government is already negotiating with the World Bank for a continuity of the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID), another of such projects, which he said will more or less have the same activities, but at a deeper level.

The Jinja City Mayor, Mr Peter Okocha Kasolo, said they initially received Shs16b for works on Busoga Avenue, Bell Avenue East and West, Clive Road East and all roads are complete, including the drainage system and laying of asphalt.

According to him, works are at 99.5 percent, although after the first designs were approved, some components like streetlights were removed, but later reinstated and are expected to be functional in under two months.

He added that the project faced challenges, including late completion of design reviews due to errors which consumed a lot of time, and heavy rains which delayed work, among others.

The Kabale Municipality Mayor, Mr Emmanuel Byamugisha Sentaro, on Saturday, said he doesn’t think they will complete all pending works on Rushoroza, Bwankosa and Bushekwire Roads within the new one-month deadline. Some of the pending works, he said, include putting walkways, streetlights and covering manholes.

However, the Adjumani District Chairman, Mr Ben Anyama, said because the project ended at the close of the last financial year, most monies were returned to the consolidated fund.

“I ask the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to release it (money) and they do the work, otherwise contractors will have excuses, saying there is no money,” Mr Anyama said.

Mr Kania, however, said currently, the law states that by June 30, any funds that haven’t been spent must be returned to the consolidated fund, but added that he thinks there is a need to review that law because projects overspill the financial year, with some going beyond June 30.

He said: “In my view personally, there is a need for the cabinet to look at that law and make a proposal specifically for projects; it is not only USMID that has been affected, but the Office of the Prime Minister dealing with infrastructure, including roads, has been affected negatively.”

According to Mr Kania, during the 10 years, Uganda has achieved almost all its targets, and not received many serious reports of fraud and corruption, except for a few instances of misgivings and doubts about the costs of our works and general project expenses.