03 February, 2025
Mbarara City – A month after the completion of Katete Bridge in Mbarara City South Division, Area MP Hon. Mwine Mpaka has demanded the city officials provide him with bills of quantities (BoQs) for further follow-up.
During the procurement process, the best-evaluated bidder was 517mln but the contract was later awarded to the UPDF construction brigade at a contract sum of Ugx 366 mln. This deal was initiated by Mayor Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi and Town Clerk Assy Abirebe Tumwesigire.
Immediately after the completion of the rehabilitation works, residents in Mbarara started making a public outcry on the amount of money compared to the rehabilitation works on the bridge whereby barriers were even put blocking heavy trucks from accessing Katete Bridge.
The petition from MP Mwine Mpaka to the new Town Clerk Justine Barekye.
Recently, even the town clerk Assy Abirebe Tumwesigire was transferred to Mbale city and replaced with Justine Barekye from Soroti city, the matter that allegedly caused the brief transfer according to some residents.
It is from this background, that in a letter dated February 3, 2025, Hon. Mwine Mpaka has ordered the current town clerk, Justine Barekye to provide him with the bills of quantities within a period of 14 days for accountability purposes.
“As you may be aware, the rehabilitation of Katete Bridge was awarded a contract for alleged total cost of UGX 336,000,000 (Three hundred thirty-six million). There has been public outcry as to the execution of this contract which prima facie, does not allegedly meet the expectations of the general public” reads part of the letter
He added that the manner in which the materials on the old bridge were handled was not appeasing thus calling for clarity as well.
“Further-more, several materials must have been disposed off during the rehabilitation process and the general public is interested in understanding the processes undertaken and if these were in line with the public procurement and disposal of public assets Act, specifically section 95”
Mwine Mpaka therefore asked the current town clerk to provide the bills of quantities within 14 days. “This is therefore, to request for the Bills of Quantities, and meeting minutes concerning the rehabilitation of Katete Bridge, in order to facilitate transparency/accountability in line with our mandate.” He added
