In a scene that could make a snail look speedy, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has given the Parliamentary Commission a two-week deadline to update her on the snail-paced construction of new parliamentary chambers, days after defying leader of opposition in parliament (LOP), Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi and his team were denied entry into the company’s premises for a follow up on public funds given to the private company by government as bailout in 2023. The project, costing a whopping Shs278 billion, is about as stuck as a fly in a spider’s web, and Ms. Among is not happy.
If the Commission doesn’t deliver a detailed report, they might find themselves cutting off the money train for Roko Construction Company Ltd, the folks supposed to be building this new space. After all, no one likes to pay for a garden without flowers!
The new chambers are supposed to seat 600 people and come with all the bells and whistles—like a fancy conference hall, a Hall of Honour, and even a modern museum. But instead of progress, all that can be heard is the sound of crickets. Originally, these chambers were supposed to be finished by July 2021, but the only thing that’s bloomed is the frustration among the MPs.
The project was approved back in 2019 to tackle the growing number of lawmakers, which has now exceeded 528. At first, Roko Construction was handed a contract for Shs179.8 billion, but now that price tag has jumped to over Shs200 billion—much like a cat that keeps coming back for more milk after dinner.
Patrick Nsamba, the MP for Kassanda North, was one of the first to voice his concerns, saying, “We want to hear what’s happening! Last year, we could at least hear the sounds of construction. Now it’s as quiet as a library at midnight!” He stirred the pot, leading to a spirited debate, with everyone pointing fingers like a game of hot potato.
Current commissioner Francis Mwijukye jumped in, claiming, “We didn’t sign the contract! We just inherited this mess!” Meanwhile, former commissioner Hamson Obua, now juggling sports as a minister, reminded everyone that during his time, at least they managed to build a multi-layered parking lot. “You’ve got to park somewhere, right?” he quipped.
In light of all the fuss, Speaker Among has decided to put on her detective hat and has ordered an investigation into the delays. “We should have already been seated in those chambers. We won’t pay Roko another dime until we know what’s going on,” she said, reinforcing that no more payments will be made until the situation is as clear as a sunny day.
So, while the lawmakers wait for their new digs, the only thing that seems to be growing is the pile of questions and the uncertainty surrounding this long-delayed project. It looks like it’s time to put the pedal to the metal—or at least get a move on!
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