Kampala's Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has summoned Lt. Eng. Kikomeko Kigonco, the Assistant Project Manager of the Special Forces Command Construction Regiment (SFCCR), to provide a comprehensive report on the maintenance of Kampala city roads. This comes amidst growing concerns about the execution and accountability of the ongoing road repair projects overseen by the SFCCR.
The Special Forces Command (SFC) was assigned the responsibility for road maintenance in Kampala following a Presidential directive issued on May 22, 2023. This directive, addressed to the Prime Minister, aimed to leverage the SFC’s capabilities for the construction and upkeep of city roads. However, the office of the Lord Mayor, along with the City Executive Committee, has raised concerns about the lack of detailed information on the collaboration between the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the SFC. Specifically, there has been no clarity on the scope of work, contract sums, and the terms and conditions governing this partnership.
In a letter dated May 20, 2024, Mayor Lukwago emphasized the statutory responsibilities conferred upon the KCCA as a Roads Authority under the Roads Act of 2019. According to Section 4 (3) (d) of the Act, the KCCA is mandated to develop, maintain, control, and manage public roads within its jurisdiction. The Act outlines the authority’s functions, which include the development of public roads in line with investment and physical development plans and the implementation of road maintenance programs.
Before the Presidential directive, the KCCA’s Roads Authority and Roads Committee had already formulated a comprehensive work plan for road maintenance. This plan involved mapping out and preparing potholes for repair across the five divisions of Kampala City: Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa, Kampala Central, and Lubaga. By the time the directive was issued, preparations were well underway, with a total area of 29,765.92 square meters marked for repairs.
However, the Lord Mayor says, the assignment of road maintenance duties to the SFCCR has led to disruptions in the planned activities of the Roads Authority and Roads Committee. This reallocation of responsibilities has resulted in delays and an expansion of the already identified pothole problem, exacerbating the condition of the city roads.
“The City Executive Committee anticipated that by the end of this Financial Year, all the mapped potholes would have been fixed, putting us on course to deliver a pothole-free city,” Lukwago stated. Unfortunately, with the current state of affairs, more potholes have emerged, rendering several roads non-motorable.
Adding to the complexity, it was reported that the one-year contract with SFCCR had expired, but KCCA Management is in the process of renewing the contract, committing UGX 3.8 billion to the project.
This has prompted Mayor Lukwago to call for a Special City Executive Committee Meeting on May 29, 2024, at City Hall. The meeting aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the operations of the SFCCR.
Lt. Eng. Kikomeko Kigonco has been requested to present the following:
• Contract documents with clearly defined terms and conditions.
• The defined scope of work.
• Performance reports for the period covered so far.
• Accountability for the funds received for road maintenance and sectional repairs.
• Any other relevant information pertaining to the project.
This summons comes in the wake of the SFCCR resuming road maintenance after a hiatus caused by delayed fund releases from the KCCA. The renewed funding has allowed the SFCCR to continue their work on critical roads such as Old Kampala Road, Nakivubo Crossing, and Kyaggwe Road. Lt. Kigonco mentioned that the total cost for section repairs and pothole sealing is Shs3.8 billion, of which Shs2.2 billion has already been received.
Despite the progress, challenges remain, particularly regarding drainage issues that affect the durability of the roads. “If you don’t solve the drainage issue, the roads will continue to develop potholes. We need to have drainage channels to prevent water from washing away the roads,” Lt. Kigonco noted.
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