By Our Reporter
Lawmakers have called for a forensic audit of Uganda’s road construction project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after discovering that the contractor, Dott Services Limited, was paid an extra UGX 124.5Bn for incomplete work, with the cost per kilometer being flagged as excessively high at UGX 8.5Bn.
This recommendation was made in a report by the Public Accounts Committee, based on the December 2023 findings of the Ministry of Works and Transport, which revealed significant delays and tax disputes over construction materials.
“The Auditor General should carry out a forensic audit on the efficacy of the project, and the responsible paymasters should be held accountable. The total project cost is estimated at a staggering US$509M (UGX 1.7Trn) for 222 kilometers. This translates to a cost of US$2.29M (UGX 8.5Bn) per kilometer, which is exorbitant under any circumstance. Additionally, the Committee found that for only 17% of the work completed, the Government of Uganda had overpaid by US$33.6M (UGX 124.5Bn),” said Muwanga Kivumbi, Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee.
The road project, a joint initiative between Uganda and the DRC, aims to construct and upgrade major roads such as Mpondwe/Kasindi-Beni-Butembo (133Km) and Bunagana-Rutshuru-Goma (89Km) to enhance trade, security, and regional connectivity.
Parliamentary records indicate that both Uganda and the DRC are responsible for 40% of the project’s funding (20% each), with the remaining 60% to be mobilized by the contractor, Dott Services Limited. However, the Auditor General’s December 2023 report showed that despite Uganda contributing over US$66M (more than half of its expected US$101M contribution), only 17% of the works funded by Uganda had been completed.
Ministry of Works officials explained to the Committee that delays were due to DRC authorities repeatedly blocking materials at customs while demanding taxes, despite a bilateral agreement exempting such taxes. However, the Committee pointed out that they were not provided with the contract to confirm these claims.
Have An Advert Or Article You Want Us To Publish? WhatsApp: +256760530830.
