By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: A bitter standoff ensued outside the construction site of Lubowa International Specialized Hospital on Tuesday after the contractors, FINASI, blocked the Health Minister Dr. Ruth Aceng, the Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine and several legislators from accessing the site.
Minister Acheng had led a team from Parliament’s National Economy Committee and the ministry of Health to monitor ongoing works at the 30-acre facility along the Kampala-Entebbe Road. The legislators had sought permission from the Health Ministry to visit the site.
However, on reaching Lubowa, Dr Acheng and her team were blocked by Local Defence Unit personnel and Police Officers guarding the facility from accessing it. The security assured the Minister and Legislators that they has instructions from ‘Above’ not to grant access to anyone.
Thereafter the facility’s gates were sealed off with a grader and a pickup truck parked exactly at the entrance of the facility, which is fenced with green iron sheets with no inscription of FINASI/ROKO SPV as before.
Government early this year approved a loan Guarantee of USd379m to Finasi/ROKO for the construction of Specialized Hospital. However, the project has been marred with controversies. Recently, ROKO, one of the project partners said that it was being unfairly kicked out in favour of a new company, Power China Guizhou Engineering Co, Ltd. ROKO has since run to court seeking to cancel the move by FINASI international FZC chaired by Enrica Pinnet.
According to ROKO Director Mark Koehler, the SPV indicates that no other companies other than FINASI, ROKO or FINASI/ROKO and its affiliates can be subcontracted work in the hospital of more than 15 per cent, according to the contract.
It is on the basis of the controversies that the MPs sought to go to the site. But the group spent close to one hour trying to plead with security guards for access in vain. They later returned to parliament after being frustrated.
However, Committee Chairperson Syda Bbumba blamed the Ministry of Health for failing to take charge of its own project. Bbumba also expressed dismay that the contractor is blocking legislators from performing their oversight role, which is illegal. Kabale Municipality MP Andrew Aja Baryayanga, one of the MPs blocked from accessing the site described the development as unfortunate. He said Ministry of Health, which owns the project, also appears helpless. But Minister Aceng said although they own the project, there are several complications that need to be corrected.
She said the visit had been interrupted by a communication from the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Keith Muhakanizi to the Speaker of Parliament to stop legislators from going to Lubowa hospital, which was done in a letter dated August 2, 2019.
