MPs query UNRA top managers' sacking

By Joyce Namutebi            

MPs have questioned state minister for transport, Stephen Chebrot, as to why senior managers of Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) were 'fired' when the organisation was already faced with a problem of shortage of staff prior to the new developments.

The MPs of the parliamentary committee on physical infrastructure asked Chebrot to explain as to how URA is to operate given the existing staff gaps.

Chebrot and other senior officials were appearing before the committee to brief members about what is happening in UNRA, the status of the Standard Gauge Railway and the proposed in land port at Bukasa in Wakiso District.

Recently, URA dropped over 30 staff following expiry of their contracts. The managers who were working in different parts of the country, according to sources, were given letters informing them that their contracts that end June 30 would not be renewed.

The MPs wanted to know the plans for staffing at URA. Kasilo MP, Okupa Elijah warned the minister that morale at the lower levels in the organization was not high.

 Chebrot explained that the office of the minister plays an advisory role to UNRA. “We want to give the new Executive Director (Allen Kagina) a chance to clean that area,” he said adding that whatever they (UNRA) are doing they have already discussed it with the Ministry.

He assured that the UNRA board is going to fast rack the recruitment.

He revealed that the organization has a staff of 1,200 and with about 30 removed “we have a team which can run the sector very well.”

 The minister said they are yet to receive a report from the Inspector General of Government on UNRA.

 He revealed that Bukasa port is estimated to cost US$320m and is expected to be completed 32 months after inception.

 The project, he said, is intended to reduce the high transportation costs of goods, reduce the high cost of maintaining roads, boost railway and water transport besides opening up the central corridor trade route to the sea.

 He, however, said its progress has been slowed down by hostility of encroachers. Other challenges he cited include lack of adequate funds for the project and delay in accessing land to kick start the project.

 The MPs gave him a month within which to give them a status report on the port. They wanted to know why the ministry was handling the encroachers with kid gloves. The minister informed the MPs that the land where the port is going to be constructed belongs to National forestry Authority and that they had written to them telling them to avail the land.