Local govts given until year end to clear USMID projects

Local governments are now expected to utilise unspent money from the World Bank to zero balance by paying contractors and supervisors to complete their civil works under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme by December.

The $150m (Shs552b) 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.

Earlier, the State Minister for Urban Development, Mr Obiga Kania, directed all Local Governments with pending work under the (USMID) programme to finalise and close during this month (July).

“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,” Mr Kania said during a two-day closure of a programme technical committee (PTC) meeting in Jinja City on July 5.

He added: “Our engagement with the World Bank has indicated that any projects not completed by June 30, when the programme officially closes, will pose significant challenges when the new programme starts; we have been forewarned (and) now it is our responsibility to act.”

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

But Kabale Municipality Mayor Byamugisha Sentaro said the USMID road project in his area, which was expected to end by June, has been extended to December to give the contractor more time to complete the works.

“We were advised by the government to extend the USMID road project up to December to allow the contractor to handle the unfinished works. I hope the contractor will use the extension to complete these road projects,” Mr Sentaro said in an interview on Tuesday.

Such works, he said, include walkways, covers for inspection chambers, streetlights, and other road furniture such as road signposts, dustbins and general beautification.

However, sources at USMID described the extension as “tentative”, saying: “It is just a project, but the programme is fully closed. But it (extension) is also political, because President Museveni is expected to launch the projects before the end of this year, so it has to be completed.”

Kabale Municipal Council, on May 27, 2021, contracted Multiplex/ Ditaco International to construct and tarmac Rushoroza Road (2.49Km), Bwankosya Road (0.76Km) and Bushekwire Road (0.34Km) at a cost of Shs21.7b, and the project was expected to be complete by May 26, 2022.

In October last year, the Multiplex Ltd managing director, Mr Moses Ndege Bbosa, said the delayed completion of project activities in Kabale Municipality were as a result of the delayed road designs by the consultant.

West Nile

In Adjumani District, Mr Francis Mindra, a senior assistant secretary at Ofua Sub-county, where a Shs2b market is being constructed, said before the end of this month, the market will be complete.

“We are hopeful that once completed, the market will boost the revenue of the sub-county because more traders will be accommodated and attracted from neighbouring places to do trade here, “ he said.

Statistics from USMID office in the district indicate at least three projects worth Shs5.4b have been commissioned in Adjumani District, while two await completion.

The commissioned projects include the leisure park at Adjumani Town Council worth Shs1.7b, the Ukusijoni Resource Centre in Ukusijoni Sub-county worth Shs1.52b, and the Kulukulu Zoka Road connecting Ukusijoni to Itirikwa Sub-county at a cost of Shs2.2b.

The projects that have lagged behind are the 3.1km road projects in Adjumani Town Council worth Shs10b, which were awarded to Rock Trust Company Limited, whose completion rate currently stands at 62 percent. 

In Arua City, the recently completed and well-lit Adumi Road awaits commissioning.

Fort Portal

In Fort Portal City, the China Railway 18 Bureau Group Company Limited was awarded road contracts on April 14, 2022, with an initial completion date set for December 6, 2023, but was later extended to June 2024.

The contractor worked on roads within the city centre, including Mill Lane Road (Shs5.1b), Water Supply-Kahungabunyonyi (Shs5.2b) and Mugoma (Shs922.7m).

All the aforementioned roads have been completed, with streetlights installed, and paved walkways.

Mr Abel Mutungia, a street vendor on Kahungabunyonyi Road, noted that before the road improvements, it was nearly impassable, especially during the rainy season.

Mr John Mugisha, a boda boda rider at the Water Supply stage, said travelling from Kabudaire Market to Kahungabunyonyi was risky at night due to lack of streetlights, making it a back spot for thieves.

Tororo

In Tororo Municipality, leaders and residents have raised concern over the vandalism of street lights and drainages on roads constructed under the project.

This publication has learnt that about 57 percent of the installed streetlights in the central business area are nonfunctional after their batteries and charger controllers were vandalised.

Mr Stephen Ajalu, a senior urban development specialist at the World Bank, said cases of vandalism may hinder the investments from serving their intended purpose unless council leadership addresses them.

The first phase of the roads under USMID included Market Street, Bazaar Street, Obua Lane, Kashmir, Tagore East and West at Shs12b, constructed by Plinth Technical Services.

The second phase, which included Tororo bus and taxi parks, Market Street Lower Road and Oguti II Road, cost Shs11b and were constructed by Ayappa Construction Company.

The third phase, which included Oguti I, Rock Crescent West and Uhuru roads, was undertaken by Dott Services Ltd at a cost of Shs23b.

Mr James Opio, a trader and a resident of Tororo Town, however, said the council leadership has not paid attention to the broken drainages along the walkways despite being a death trap, especially during rainy seasons and at night.

Mr Akim Muhammed Bwire, who runs a hardware business in Tororo Town, said the council authorities have also allegedly failed to regulate heavy trucks, which keep breaking the slabs and knocking the street lights along the roads.

Mubende

Mubende Municipality Town Clerk  Paul Omuko said by the time the project ended, the town had received Shs58b for road construction, installation of street lights and beautification of the Mayor’s Garden.

He added: “Now, several roads have been paved, including Nelson Mandela Road, Kyaterekera Road, Tennis Court Road, Police Link Road, Church Road, Ndahura Road, Kibaati Road and Bwire Road, while a total of 8km of other roads are being worked on.”

The town clerk said the new infrastructure has reduced crime rates, improved road safety and enhanced night-time economy.

Some of the ongoing project works include construction of the taxi park and its accompanying lockups, which are, however, nearing completion. 

“We project to raise at least Shs250m per annum in revenue from the taxi park alone,” Mr Omuko said.
  
Compiled by Philip Wafula, Al Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Malik Fahd Jjingo, Barbara Nalweyiso, Joseph Omollo, Simon Emwamu, Fred Wambede, Marko Taibot, Felix Warom Okello, Alex Ashaba, Robert Muhereza & Emmanuel Arineitwe.