Jinja CAO roughs up workers
Aug 07, 2008
THE Jinja district chief administrative officer, Iporotum Okiror, on Tuesday roughed up two porters of Sterio Construction Company, accusing them of doing shoddy work on the Budondo sub-county market fence.
By Donald Kiirya and Charles Okalebo
THE Jinja district chief administrative officer, Iporotum Okiror, on Tuesday roughed up two porters of Sterio Construction Company, accusing them of doing shoddy work on the Budondo sub-county market fence.
The five-minute scuffle took place at the site as Okiror and other district officials were monitoring and commissioning projects.
The foreman, Ronald Mayanja and an unidentified porter were constructing a gate but Okiror noticed that the pillars lacked iron bars.
Mayanja claimed the pillars had already been inserted but Juma Muyita, a councillor, dismissed the claims. The contract indicated that the bars should be inserted.
An enraged Okiror attacked the pair, holding the porter by the neck but Mayanja took off with residents giving chase.
“I am in danger of losing my job over shoddy work done by incompetent contractors and here you are doing the same, just to eat the district’s funds,†Okiror said as he strangled the porter.
It took the intervention of the district vice-chairman, Moses Batwala, for Okiror to let go the porter’s neck.
Still fuming, Okiror said: “I swear I will not allow shoddy work in Jinja district for as long as I am serving here.â€
Not done, Batwala drove to Namwendwa health centre, where he picked John Mubiru, the proprietor of Sterio Construction Company, to come and explain the sub-standard work.
He blamed the workers for the anomaly, prompting the officials to order the Police to arrest him and Mayanja.
They were herded to Budondo Police post where they recorded statements.
“We cannot allow incompetent contractors to eat district funds as we just look on. In fact, they must be charged with robbery,†Batwala said.
Batwala added that the district budgeted sh25m for the construction of the Budondo market fence.
District speaker Agnes Nabirye said the company was blacklisted last year over shoddy work but wondered why its contracts had not been terminated.
The officials also accused M/S Mayanja General Services, which is constructing a parking lot at Namulesa Market, of doing shoddy work.
They ordered the proprietor, Paul Mayanja, to re-tarmac the parking lot.
The officials also declined to commission Namwendwa Health Centre II when they saw cracks on the floor.
THE Jinja district chief administrative officer, Iporotum Okiror, on Tuesday roughed up two porters of Sterio Construction Company, accusing them of doing shoddy work on the Budondo sub-county market fence.
The five-minute scuffle took place at the site as Okiror and other district officials were monitoring and commissioning projects.
The foreman, Ronald Mayanja and an unidentified porter were constructing a gate but Okiror noticed that the pillars lacked iron bars.
Mayanja claimed the pillars had already been inserted but Juma Muyita, a councillor, dismissed the claims. The contract indicated that the bars should be inserted.
An enraged Okiror attacked the pair, holding the porter by the neck but Mayanja took off with residents giving chase.
“I am in danger of losing my job over shoddy work done by incompetent contractors and here you are doing the same, just to eat the district’s funds,†Okiror said as he strangled the porter.
It took the intervention of the district vice-chairman, Moses Batwala, for Okiror to let go the porter’s neck.
Still fuming, Okiror said: “I swear I will not allow shoddy work in Jinja district for as long as I am serving here.â€
Not done, Batwala drove to Namwendwa health centre, where he picked John Mubiru, the proprietor of Sterio Construction Company, to come and explain the sub-standard work.
He blamed the workers for the anomaly, prompting the officials to order the Police to arrest him and Mayanja.
They were herded to Budondo Police post where they recorded statements.
“We cannot allow incompetent contractors to eat district funds as we just look on. In fact, they must be charged with robbery,†Batwala said.
Batwala added that the district budgeted sh25m for the construction of the Budondo market fence.
District speaker Agnes Nabirye said the company was blacklisted last year over shoddy work but wondered why its contracts had not been terminated.
The officials also accused M/S Mayanja General Services, which is constructing a parking lot at Namulesa Market, of doing shoddy work.
They ordered the proprietor, Paul Mayanja, to re-tarmac the parking lot.
The officials also declined to commission Namwendwa Health Centre II when they saw cracks on the floor.