New UWA building cracks
FOUR years after the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) headquarters was completed, the building has developed cracks, which extend into the structure’s foundation.
By Raymond Baguma
and Darious Magara
FOUR years after the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) headquarters was completed, the building has developed cracks, which extend into the structure’s foundation.
The probe commission investigating misuse of funds under the protected areas management for sustainable use, last Friday grilled the former UWA executive director, Moses Mapesa, over the matter.
Kenneth Magembe, a civil engineer and member of the probe, said the UWA head offices constructed at about sh4b, have serious cracks, which indicate shoddy work.
“The building is full of cracks and we are not sure if we are safe as we sit here. We have to do something very fundamental to save the building,†the chairman of the probe Justice George Kanyeihamba remarked.
The headquarters, which were commissioned in July 2005, were constructed by Arab Contractors.
Mapesa was also blamed for employing two firms to offer consultancy services during construction, yet this was not reflected in the contractual agreement.
The commission also established that a second consultancy firm was hired after the first one failed to do the right job. But UWA continued to pay the first company.
“You wasted funds by paying two people to do the same job,†Kanyeihamba said.
However, Mapesa explained that the board hired two consultancy firms to ensure quality work because the UWA civil engineer had resigned.
The probe is investigating the misuse of a sh70b World Bank loan given to the UWA.
and Darious Magara
FOUR years after the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) headquarters was completed, the building has developed cracks, which extend into the structure’s foundation.
The probe commission investigating misuse of funds under the protected areas management for sustainable use, last Friday grilled the former UWA executive director, Moses Mapesa, over the matter.
Kenneth Magembe, a civil engineer and member of the probe, said the UWA head offices constructed at about sh4b, have serious cracks, which indicate shoddy work.
“The building is full of cracks and we are not sure if we are safe as we sit here. We have to do something very fundamental to save the building,†the chairman of the probe Justice George Kanyeihamba remarked.
The headquarters, which were commissioned in July 2005, were constructed by Arab Contractors.
Mapesa was also blamed for employing two firms to offer consultancy services during construction, yet this was not reflected in the contractual agreement.
The commission also established that a second consultancy firm was hired after the first one failed to do the right job. But UWA continued to pay the first company.
“You wasted funds by paying two people to do the same job,†Kanyeihamba said.
However, Mapesa explained that the board hired two consultancy firms to ensure quality work because the UWA civil engineer had resigned.
The probe is investigating the misuse of a sh70b World Bank loan given to the UWA.