KAMPALA: The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, and other opposition Members of Parliament have been barred from accessing the construction site of Lubowa Specialised Hospital, where they had planned to conduct oversight of the ongoing construction.
This denial of access occurred just three months after Parliament allocated Shs2.7 billion to the Ministry of Health for supervision works at the facility.
Their intended visit coincided with some Members of Parliament from the Health Committee suggesting a halt to the construction of the Shs1.4 trillion Lubowa hospital due to concerns about Uganda’s escalating public debt.
However, as they were en route to the site, they encountered heavy security deployment that prevented their entry.
Despite the obstruction, Ssenyonyi justified the opposition’s desire to inspect the site, emphasizing the substantial investment in the project.
He highlighted the supplementary request of Shs2.7 Billion made in December 2023 for supervision works and expressed the need to verify the progress being overseen by the government.
“We are here to carry out our responsibilities, and we await the responsible authorities to grant us access so we can investigate,” stated Ssenyonyi while addressing journalists at Lubowa.
He also expressed willingness to accept Police security if provided, suggesting that police officers, being taxpayers, also have a stake in the hospital’s services.
