KAMPALA – The decision by Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to spend over Shs207,834,646,967 on the construction of Rukungiri-Kihihi-Ishasha-Kanungu road has left a section of Ugandans irked.
The reaction followed a leaked letter authored by Christopher Gashirabake Director Legal, Advisory Services Ministry of Justice who advised UNRA to sign the contract with China Henan International Corporation Group.
In his 14th September 2018 letter to UNRA, Gashirabake noted: “This is to advise that the draft contract with China Henan International Corporation Group for upgrading to bituminous standard at a contract price if Shs207,834,646,967 inclusive 18% VAT is hereby cleared for signing.”
Leading the uproar over the cost of the road was Democratic Party President, Robert Mao who took to his Twitter handle, questioned the approximately USD700,000 that’s going to be spent on each kilometre.
It wasn’t long before other Ugandans started to weigh into the subject with a one Jared Opio expressed fears over capital flight saying China will likely hijack all public entities, “China is going to start calling agency by agency.”
Acram Kigozi stated that it is unbecoming in Uganda for everything to be messed up, while Derrick Bwanika pointed out that each road was to cost Shs2,171,011,598Bn.
However, Tindamwebwa defended the contract price firing back at those lamenting about the price, “So you expect a road constructed in a hilly place like Kanungu to cost the same as a road in Soroti or Gulu? You guys tend to be comedians sometimes.”
Yet still, Albert Mucunguzi admitted that whereas he isn’t experienced in road construction, he found Shs2.7Bn per kilometre too costly, “Worse if you remember they will just create some second-grade stuff in the end.”
