Busega–Mpigi Expressway: MPs Raise Red Flags Over Swamp Design, 85% Payment

MPs on the Physical Infrastructure Committee of Parliament.

Members of Parliament have raised concerns over the design and construction of the Busega–Mpigi Expressway, questioning why the road was shifted into a swamp and why construction commenced before the final design was approved.

The lawmakers on the physical infrastructure committee were grilling officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport who appeared before the committee on Tuesday to answer queries regarding the road project.

“You need to tell the committee what prompted the change in design. There was a change and the road was shifted towards the swamp. Why did it go to the swamp? Why did work commence on a preliminary design,” Budyebo county lawmaker asked.

MPs also discovered that out of the contract sum of shs 547 billion, 85% has already been paid.

“When you look at compensation, 75% has already been compensated, 85% paid, but only 47% of the physical progress. Are we saying that we have paid the contractor for works that he has not yet done,” one MP asked.

If the contractor has been paid 85% of the total amount in the contract, and 75% of the project affected persons compensated, physical progress should not be at 47% after six years.

MPs asked why that is the case yet the contractor has no challenges of access to right of way.

“He (contractor) should have been matching the 85% progress itself.”

This comes just a day after President Museveni sacked six engineers at the Ministry of Works and Transport over corruption.

Lawmakers discovered that the contract was awarded before the final engineering designs were completed.

The new Minister, Fred Byamukama recently accused corrupt government officials of deliberately causing delays on most of the infrastructure projects in order to keep milking out of the projects.

Byamukama, however, has vowed to handle corrupt officials with an iron fist.