KAMPALA– The controversy surrounding the controversial construction of Akii-Bua stadium took another twist when two more Government officials were handed over to Parliament CID after the revelation that Shs276M out of the Shs665M was used to compensate people for the crops on the land the stadium was constructed.
The matter came to light on Tuesday morning in a meeting held between the MPs on the Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) alongside the Education Ministry and Lira District Local Government officials.
Lira Chief Administrative Officer Mark Tivu that Shs400M was used to survey, clear, grade and leveling the swampy government land where the stadium was to be constructed.
Tivu explained: “The place had to be grades, leveled and compacted and ring roads had to be opened around the stadium. There was a tent to be built. It was land donated by Lira district. This land wasn’t being used, it was virgin, during the insurgency, people came across and settled on that land.”
Additionally, the officials said that Shs270M went into construction of a temporary pavilion and a latrine, although all these works were undertaken in absence of an architectural design for the Shs1Bn stadium.
The revelation angered the MPs with Anita Among, COSASE Vice Chairperson tasked Tivu to reveal the kind of crops that cost taxpayers Shs276M in compensation.
Lira district Engineer Hudson Omok admitted that the Ministry never handed over the architectural design for the stadium.
Moses Kasibante (Rubaga North) attacked the Ministry of Education for skyjacking the mandate of the National Council of Sports whose responsibility is the national stadia, saying the mess surrounding the
Akki-Bua stadium is because the works weren’t being done by experts in the field, who are ideally meant to be the Council staff.
Due to numerous consistencies, Among asked the duo to leave with Parliament Police to give more details to the controversial construction.
