Contractors warned against shoddy work

Jun 09, 2010

COMPANIES pre-qualified to bid for the 150km-Nyakahita-Kazo-Ibanda-Kamwenge road construction have been warned against shoddy work. Alinamary Kemerwa, the Kiruhura resident district commissioner, gave the warning while interacting with officials from the firms that bid for the works in Rushere town.

By Fred Turyakira and Ali Wasswa

COMPANIES pre-qualified to bid for the 150km-Nyakahita-Kazo-Ibanda-Kamwenge road construction have been warned against shoddy work. Alinamary Kemerwa, the Kiruhura resident district commissioner, gave the warning while interacting with officials from the firms that bid for the works in Rushere town.

The companies are Henan International Corporation Group, China Railway Seventh Group Company and China Geo-Engineering Corporation of China.

Others are Sogea Santom of France, China Communications Construction Company, China’s Zhongao Overseas Construction Engineering Company and SBI International Holding from Switzerland.

Kemerwa urged the firms to avoid substandard work, saying a lot of money supposed to be used on such projects, was being misused by individuals.

Kamerwa said she does not expect issues like what came out of CHOGM projects to arise.

She asked landlords, who will be affected by the road works, to be lenient with the works ministry when demanding compensation.

Dan Alinange, the Uganda National Road Authority spokesman, said work on the road would start by the end of this year.

The project is funded by the African Development Bank and the Government.

“The project will also speed up the development of the area because it will make easier for farmers and those dealing in minerals to access more markets,” Alinange said.

He added that the Nyakahita-Kazo and Kazo-Kamwenge project would also boost the development international business because it will be used as a transit route to the DR Congo.

He said the project was a fulfilment of the Government promise to the the people in the area to tarmack the Nyakahita-Kazo and Kazo Kamwenge road and others this financial year.

However, some locals in Kiruhura and Ibanda districts noted that the Government normally promises to upgrade their roads during elections and does not fulfilling its promise.

Two of the seven firms will be selected to tender for the project.

But Alinange allayed their fears, saying the Government would work on the roads as promised.

Others roads to be tarmacked include the Mbarara-Kikagati road, the Tororo-Mbale-Soroti, Jinja-Kamuli and Mukono-Kayunga roads. The Mukono-Jinja, Gulu-Atiak-Bibia-Nimule, Vurra-Arua-Koboko-Oraba and the Atiak-Moyo-Afoji roads will also be upgraded.


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