Luweero office block fundraising takes shape

Luweero District has kick-started a fundraising drive targeting the completion of a multi-billion administration office block, whose construction works had stalled for years.
The office block has become a centre of bargain for critics, who blame the NRM government for failure to honour a more than 20-year pledge President Museveni made to the district.
Efforts to complete the project using  local revenue have also been futile.

On Tuesday, Centenary Bank opened the drive with a cheque of Shs5m ahead of the planned fundraising.
Mr Richard Ntambi, the branch manager for Centenary Bank, Wobulenzi, said their management found it necessary to contribute towards the development. 
“When you talk about Luweero District, many people have a historical factor and are quick to relate the district to Uganda’s history. Management at Centenary Bank will continue to stand with Luweero for the different programmes,” Mr Ntambi said.
He added: “The district local government employees are our customers and the bank shares many other programmes with the people of Luweero District. We rally many other people and organisations to stand with Luweero to have the office block completed. It is good that the work on ground is very encouraging,” he said.

The Luweero District Chief Administrative Officer, Ms Elizabeth Namanda, revealed that the project that was launched in 2015 was expected to cost Shs6b. 
“We decided to build this block in phases due to lack of enough funds to have the offices constructed in a shorter period. We are getting feedback from many people interested in standing with Luweero for this project. The Centenary Bank package was a surprise and a good curtain raiser,” she said.
In a March 25, 2019 letter, which was signed by the then Principal Private Secretary, President Museveni directed the Ministry of Local Government to arrange for a briefing of the Cabinet about the construction of the administration block.

Background 

In 1991, President Museveni while on a tour of the different projects in Luweero District pledged to have government construct an administration block in compensation of the buildings that were taken over by the Ministry of Defence at Bombo UPDF Land Forces headquarters. 
The buildings formerly housed the East Mengo that became Luweero. The pledge was as a result of the concerns raised by the Luweero District leaders then.
In 2008, the then district chairperson, Hajj Abdul Nadduli, reached out to the Office of the Prime Minister to make a reminder of the pledge. 

Hajj Nadduli later told the district council that there were no direct answers since all concerned officials kept promising to find out about the pledge.
In 2018, the Luweero District authorities mobilised local resources to have the district administration block constructed after failing to get a response from the government. 
However, in November, the State Minister for Luweero Triangle, Ms Alice Kaboyo, said the government would take over the construction of the office block for Luweero District Administration without giving a timeline.