Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Uganda Monitor
Published on 2024-03-06 19:05:21
Legislators on the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have expressed their concerns regarding the stalled construction of the proposed 250-bed Mbuya Military Hospital. They have emphasized the importance of ensuring that the Ministry of Defence and the contractors complete the construction work within this year.
During a site visit led by PAC Chairperson, Mr Muwanga Kivumbi, it was discovered that the Shs106.2 billion project had come to a standstill with no visible signs of progress. Mr Kivumbi noted that despite attempts to clean up the site before their visit, the abandoned state of the project was evident.
The legislators are determined to hold the Ministry of Defence and the contractors accountable for the delay in completing the hospital. They have pledged to monitor the project closely and install cameras to ensure that work recommences and progresses effectively. The comparison was drawn to the Lubowa Specialized Hospital project, which faced similar challenges of stalled construction.
In 2017, the Ministry of Defence entered into a contract with China National Aero Technology International Engineering Corporation to construct the hospital, initially targeting completion by July 2020. However, due to unforeseen circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the completion date was extended to July 2023. Despite the extended timeline, as of July last year, the project was still far from completion, leading to another extension to July 2024.
The auditor general’s report for 2022/2023 highlighted the abandonment of the site by the contractors, prompting the PAC to launch an inquiry into the status of the hospital project. The legislators emphasized the urgency of resuming work to avoid a situation similar to the stalled Lubowa hospital project.
Ms Gorreth Namugga, a legislator, expressed her disappointment with the overgrown and neglected state of the site, likening it to a place where rats could be bred. State Minister for Veteran Affairs, Ms Huda Oleru, assured that the ministry would closely supervise the project to ensure its completion by the agreed deadline of July 31, 2024.
Once completed, the Mbuya Military Hospital is expected to offer specialized medical services such as Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Urology, Nephrology, and Endoscopy, among others. The successful completion of this project is crucial in providing comprehensive healthcare services to military personnel and the general public.
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