By Amon Muhumuza,
NTUNGAMO
Local contractor, MUPA Technical Services, has threatened to drag Ntungamo District local government to the Commercial Court accusing it of illegally terminating its contract.
MUPA Technical Services signed a contract in 2020 to construct Kihanga Public Seed School in Rukoni East sub-county, Ruhaama East constituency but the contractor was later ordered to vacate the construction site due to significant delays in completing the project without following contract guidelines.
Recently, the district authorities led by the Chief Administrative Officer came at the site for pre assessment of the construction works and later asked the contractor on ground to give them their site for another person.
However, the Managing Director of MUPA Technical Services Ltd Patrick Mugyenyi alleged that the CAO’s office has consistently failed to provide timely funding, leading to significant delays in completing the project valued at 2.078 billion shillings.
Mugyenyi also allergies that the district has failed to signed other contract variations on earth works valued UGX 727M since the site was a conical hill and the district has failed to pay him.
He expressed disappointment over the breach of contract due to delayed payments and yet the district is chasing him from the construction site.
Mugyenyi demands payment of over UGX 1.254Bn from the district before another contactor is hired for the same project or risk taking the district to court for resolution.
Mugyenyi said that it’s a habit in Uganda to suffocate local contractors at the expense of foreign contractors who are normally receiving cordial welcome.
Speaking to the District Chief Administrative Office Matthias Ndifuna acknowledges the fact that the construction progress is currently at 72%, and some payments have since been made to the contractor.
Ashabaheebwa Africano, Headteacher at Kihanga Public Secondary School shares the community’s frustration, citing the school’s lagging performance due to inadequate infrastructure.
