Luwero Roads Rot as District Fails to Spend Available Ugx 500 Million
There is uproar among leaders in Luwero district over an unutilized 500 million shillings meant for road works.
In the 2023/24 financial year, the Government disbursed one billion shillings to Luwero district for road works.
According to a report by Luwero district engineer Robert Kalenzi, by the time the financial year elapsed, the district had only been able to spend 500 million shillings out of one billion shillings.
The district carried out road works on Waluleta –Ndejje road (5.1 kilometers), Wobulenzi-Waluleta road (8.3 kilometers), Kikyusa-Kibengo-Manywa road (25 kilometers) and upgrading Lumansi swamp (0.4 kilometers).
The district officials also spent 78 million shillings on road inspections, inventory, office operations and meetings.
About five roads and swamps which were supposed to be worked on using the grant remain unrehabilitated.
Erastus Kibirango the LC 5 Chairman of Luwero district explained that the district could not spend over 500 million shillings because rains disrupted works within the first two quarters of the 2023/24 financial year.
Kibirango adds that on resuming works, the district road equipment suffered rampant breakdown and delay in the release of funds for the last quarter.
Kibirango noted that by the end of the financial year, all funds had been committed to fuel, allowances and buying consumables for road equipment to ensure that they were not taken back to the consolidated fund.
Kibirango said currently the engineering department is working hard to absorb all the funds before the release of more funds in the new financial year 2024/25.
The district also received an additional 179 million shillings from Uganda Road Fund but this remains unaccounted for.
However, the Resident District Commissioner and LC 3 Chairpersons have faulted the district leadership for incompetence as well as for executing shoddy work.
The LC 3 Chairpersons had initially asked the district to send a share of the grant to each sub county to work on their roads but they rejected the request.
Nuru Kijjambu the LC 3 Chairperson of Kikyusa sub county and Edward Ssimbwa the LC 3 Chairperson of Luwero Sub county said that instead they were asked to submit at least three roads to benefit from the one billion road grant but to date nothing is being done.
Ssimbwa explained that he expected the district to work on the Luwero-Kikube-Kagalama road but todate there are no works and residents are bitter over the road’s poor state.
Kijjambu said that the works done along Kikyusa-Kibengo-Manywa road using the grant are also not convincing to the residents.
The Resident District Commissioner Richard Bwabye blamed the non-utilization of road funds on lack of supervision, poor coordination and planning by the works department.
Bwabye added that he has also got reports that shoddy works have also been done on the few reportedly completed roads.
Bwabye has asked the Chief Administrative Officer to take action on the engineering unit for failure to utilize funds and executing shoddy works rather than hiding their weaknesses.
RDC Bwabye has also written to the CAO asking him to submit a status report about the utilization of the road grant extended to the district.
The District Road Committee comprising of Members of Parliament and district leadership is expected to inspect the roads completed and thereafter hold meeting on the matter.
Denis Sekabira the Katikamu North Member of Parliament says that some of the issues affecting road works are above district’s mandate hence need to come up with common voice to ensure they are corrected.
” As MPs we shall need to find out why funds are released late and Ministry of Works fail to repair the road equipment which is their mandate,” Sekabira said.
Luwero district has a road network of over 1,360 kilometers. At least 628 kilometers of these are maintained by the district, 164. 51 kilometers by urban councils and 567.3 kilometers by sub-counties.
However, the majority of the roads in the district are impassable due to potholes and culverts that caved in.
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Luwero Roads Rot as District Fails to Spend Available Ugx 500 Million
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Ugandan Citizen Abducted, Held in Secret Detention for Three Months, Sparks Outrage and Calls for Justice
A disturbing new case of unlawful detention has surfaced, highlighting the ongoing human rights crisis in Uganda. A Ugandan citizen was reportedly abducted and held in a secret facility, known as a “safe house,” for three months, only to be released without charge or explanation. This incident, reported by NTV Uganda, has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed calls for accountability regarding human rights abuses in the country.
While the details surrounding the abduction remain unclear, reports indicate that the individual was taken without due process and held incommunicado—an action that has long been condemned by human rights organizations. The victim’s release, with no charges filed and no clear justification, has angered activists and citizens, who view this as yet another case of egregious abuse of power by the state.
“This is a recurring pattern,” said one human rights activist. “Abductions, secret detentions, and unexplained releases have become all too common in Uganda. These acts violate fundamental human rights and erode public trust in the justice system.”
The use of “safe houses,” unregistered detention facilities reportedly operated by security forces, has been a focal point in numerous allegations of torture and illegal imprisonment. Despite repeated calls from both local and international organizations for their closure and accountability for those involved, little action has been taken to address these violations.
This case underscores the urgent need for reform within Uganda’s security apparatus and greater accountability for human rights abuses. Observers hope that drawing attention to these injustices will spur concrete action to bring those responsible to justice and ensure the protection of basic human rights.
As frustration mounts, calls for both domestic and international pressure to hold the government accountable for such crimes grow louder. “One day, there must be accountability for all these crimes against our people,” stated one social media user, reflecting the sentiments of many Ugandans.
National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi has accused Ugandan security forces of using excessive force to disrupt a planned NUP gathering. The allegations were detailed in a statement shared on Twitter, following an event held to honor children of NUP supporters who were killed, disappeared, or detained for their political beliefs.
According to Kyagulanyi, security personnel, under the command of an officer identified as Asiimwe, carried out a preemptive operation early in the morning upon learning of the NUP’s plans. The forces allegedly stormed the premises, arrested workers, and deployed tear gas to disperse those present.
“The criminals under the command of one Asiimwe deployed early morning, arrested our workers, and threw tear gas into our premises. They’ve cordoned off the premises and blocked all people from accessing the place,” Kyagulanyi wrote.
Among those reportedly arrested were Saava Peter, Mudenya Samson, and Turyasingura Samson. Kyagulanyi claimed the detained workers were subjected to beatings and interrogated about their political affiliations, with security operatives labeling them as terrorists.
“These JATT operatives asked the workers who they support politically, branding them terrorists and criminals—their only crime being that they work with us. You can imagine the indignity!” Kyagulanyi lamented.
This incident adds to the growing tension in Uganda’s political climate, where opposition parties frequently accuse the government of stifling dissent. Despite the challenges, Kyagulanyi ended his statement with a message of defiance and optimism, proclaiming, “UGANDA WILL BE FREE.”
NUP Gathering Disrupted: Kyagulanyi Alleges Security Force Harassment and Arrests
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Sudan Demands Apology from Uganda Over Army Chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s Threat to Invade Khartoum
Sudan has demanded an official apology from Uganda over “offensive and dangerous” comments made by the chief of Uganda army staff, who threated to invade Khartoum, the Sudan Tribune has reported.
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and CDF of the Ugandan army, posted two comments on the X platform on Tuesday in which he threatened “to capture Khartoum” with the support of the US President elect Donald Trump after he takes office. The posts were deleted later.
“The government of Sudan demands and official apology from the Ugandan government for the offensive and dangerous comments of the army commander,” Sudan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the Sudan Tribune said it has seen.
Sudan Demands Apology from Uganda Over Army Chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s Threat to Invade Khartoum