Sh24b for the Isimba bridge was not stolen- Govt

INFRASTRUCTURE

Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) on Monday moved to allay fears raised by the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga in Parliament last week that sh24billion for the construction of a bridge connecting Kayunga to Kamuli had been stolen.

Engineer Lawrence Pario the head of Bridges and Structures Construction at UNRA told New Vision that construction of the dual carriage 1km dual bridge was on and that it would be completed in December 2020.

"The construction process is currently going on. We are supervising the contractor China Water and Electrical Company Ltd that made submissions and submitted the designs, which had been reviewed, approved and instructions issued for them to commence works," Pariyo stated.

He noted that the Ministry of Energy requested UNRA to take over supervision works for the construction of the bridge in May this year.

"Before we could do that we had to enter into a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between UNRA, Ministry of Energy, and the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL).  The MOU project was divided into two components which involved the dam and the construction of the bridge. We took over the supervision works for the construction of the bridge in July and we formed a contract management team and put a supervision team on-site," Pario said.

He noted that "Currently the contractor was progressing with the works and the main works included piling works for the foundation, construction of approach roads on the bridge and constructing a temporary bridge across the river which is now at 50%," Pariyo said.

He also noted that the contractor was working on the major drainages and box culverts and the girders which were supposed to be placed on the bridge deck were also being constructed.

On Tuesday last week, Kadaga told Members of Parliament that she submitted a report to President Yoweri Museveni in March this year implicating top Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development officials in the embezzlement of shs24 billion that was earmarked for the construction of two bridges on Isimba dam linking Kayunga to Kamuli district. The revelation caused an uproar in Parliament with legislators calling for an immediate investigation by authorities concerned.

"By the way, at some stage, sh24b had been chewed; sh24b for that bridge had been eaten. Members, I have been following that matter for several months, the money was embezzled in the Ministry of Energy, I have written to the president. I gave him the names of the culprits. I have been waiting since March. I have not seen any action." said Kadaga. 

 Pariyo noted that the bridge had two sections and was a dual carriageway and also had a pedestrian walkway on both sides. "One section is 437 meters and in between, there was an island while the other side was 457 meters. We are only supervising on behalf of the Ministry of Energy. When we finish the bridge will now become the responsibility of UNRA," Pariyo stated. He noted that the bridges would connect the Kasana village in Kayunga to Bugumira in Kamuli district, across the Nile.

He noted that the total cost of constructing the bridge was covered within the cost of the dam. Isimba Hydroelectric Power Station is a 183.2 megawatts hydroelectric power station commissioned on 21 March 2019 in Uganda. Construction of this dam began in April 2015 and was completed in January 2019. Commercial operations began on 21 March 2019. Its construction cost $568 million (about sh2 trillion) and 85% of funding was from China's Exim Bank.

He noted that the option of having a separate bridge rather than have it on the dam was better for public safety and that the two also have a different life expectancy.

"Bridges last for 100 years and these dams have a lifespan of between 50-60 years. Having public roads Pariyo noted that that within a span of the next 10 years the country will have a number of bridges across River Nile contrary to the four bridges;   Karuma Bridge, Owen falls Dam built by colonialists and Pakwach and the Jinja railway bridge.

"We recently completed the Nile bridge, we now have Isimba bridge and Paraa bridge under construction (under the oil roads).  We are also designing the new Karuma bridge which will replace the old bridge and will be funded by the Japanese Government," Pario stated.