The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi Ariganyira, has grilled the Rubanda District Engineer, John Habimana, over what he described as shoddy and delayed construction of a maternity ward at Shebeya Health Centre II in Shebeya Parish, Hamurwa Sub-county, Rubanda East Constituency.
During an inspection visit on Saturday, accompanied by Rubanda District Woman MP Evelyn Ninsiima Kikafunda and Rubanda West MP Bruce Balaba Kabaasa, Musasizi expressed dissatisfaction with the pace and quality of work at the health facility.
The leaders also inspected the construction of a two-storey building at Johns Ikumba Secondary School and assessed the condition of the 21-kilometre Rwondo–Nyakatare–Mukisa–Kabisha road, which connects Rubanda and Rukiga districts.
According to Habimana, the maternity ward project is being undertaken by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade at a cost of Shs94 million.
However, Musasizi questioned the expenditure, noting that the Ministry of Finance had released Shs150 million for the project. He wondered how the construction could cost Shs94 million and yet the quality of work on the ground was far below expectations. The minister further argued that even the reported Shs94 million did not appear to have been fully utilized.
Habimana maintained that the health department had only been allocated Shs94 million for the project, but Minister Musasizi rejected the explanation, insisting that the district engineering department should account for the entire project budget. Habimana defended himself, saying the project was still in Phase One and would be completed in the final phase under the UPDF Engineering Brigade.
CUE IN MINISTER MUSASIZI VS HABIMANA…ON FUNDS…ENG//
Minister Musasizi said the work completed at the site appeared to be worth only about Shs20 million, not the Shs94 million claimed by the district engineer. He said he would engage the UPDF Engineering Brigade over the matter and gave Habimana a one-month ultimatum to rectify all the defects identified during the inspection.
CUE IN MINISTER MUSASIZI…ON THE MATTER…ENG//
Residents expressed concern over the delayed completion of the maternity ward, saying expectant mothers are forced to seek maternity services at Hamurwa Health Centre IV and Kabale Regional Referral Hospital.
Nyakabungo Village LC1 Chairperson Charles Kyomukama and resident Clever Akampurira appealed to authorities to expedite the completion of the facility to improve access to maternal healthcare.
CUE IN RESIDENTS…ON THE FACILITY…RR//
Rubanda West MP Bruce Balaba Kabaasa also questioned Habimana over the omission of a veranda from the project’s Bills of Quantities, expressing concern over cracks already developing where the veranda was supposed to be constructed.
Rubanda District LC5 Chairperson Stephen Ampeire Kasyaba attributed the delayed and substandard works to alleged mismanagement of funds by technical staff in the district works department.
Meanwhile, Rubanda Resident District Commissioner Kyeyune Ssenyonjo said he had already submitted recommendations to the UPDF Engineering Brigade regarding the state of the project and called for urgent corrective action.
