Mbale District –
The Minister of Local Government, Hon. Barugahara Balaam Ateenyi, together with the State Minister for Local Government, Hon. Justine Nameere Nsubuga, conducted an inspection of the Budwale road in Mbale District, where they uncovered what they described as serious irregularities in the execution of the road project.
During the inspection, residents, accompanied by their LC1 leadership, raised concerns over the quality of work carried out on the road. They alleged that, instead of the required murram being used, only three small truckloads of ordinary soil had been dumped on the road, falling far short of the expected project standards.
The residents further claimed that the supervising engineer had been dismissive of their concerns. According to those present, the engineer reportedly told them not to interfere with his work when they questioned the quality of the materials being used.
Following the inspection and the complaints raised by the community, Hon. Barugahara Balaam Ateenyi directed the District Police Commander (DPC) to handle the matter and ensure appropriate action is taken following the allegations of substandard work and the concerns raised by residents.
Addressing the residents, Hon. Justine Nameere Nsubuga emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring accountability in the implementation of public infrastructure projects. She warned that substandard work on government-funded projects would no longer be tolerated.
“Such shoddy work is no longer acceptable. This is the time for accountability in the use of government resources. Enough is enough,” Hon. Nameere said.
The inspection forms part of the Ministry of Local Government’s efforts to strengthen oversight of public projects and ensure that taxpayers’ money is used effectively to deliver quality infrastructure and services to communities.