Africa-Press – Uganda. Residents of Kasese Town have complained over the quality of street lights installed under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme.
Ms Grace Biira, a businesswoman on Margherita Street, said the newly installed lights fail to provide sufficient brightness during the night, hampering commercial activities.
“When you compare these lights with those at Kamwekamwe [Mboghoyabo road], you clearly see that ours is not giving us enough light. If lights can be dim barely a month after being installed, what will happen after six months or even two years?” Ms Biira wondered.
Kasese Municipality MP Kambale Ferigo had earlier raised a similar concern. He addressed a letter to the Kasese Municipal Town Clerk, highlighting the inadequacy of the lights on Margherita Street compared to other areas.
In his letter, Mr Ferigo urged the town clerk to investigate whether the lights installed on Margherita Street align with the specifications outlined in the contractor’s Bill of Quantities (BoQs).
The Kasese’s deputy town clerk, Mr Zedekia Kambasu Kayiiri, confirmed that they have received complaints regarding the quality of the lights.
He said the municipality has engaged the Engineering Department of Kasese Municipal Council to collaborate with Continuum Engineering Ltd, the project consultant, to address the situation.
China Railway 18th Bureau Group is executing the projects under the supervision of Continuum Engineering Ltd.
“We don’t want to go very fast before we are sure about whether the contractor complied or didn’t comply with the specifications within the BoQs,” Mr Kayiiri said.
Defence
When contacted, Mr Patrick Nyamunungu, a sociologist with China Railway 18 Engineering Group, acknowledged the concerns raised by Kasese Municipal Council and local residents.
He expressed commitment to addressing the issues with the council and the consultant.
Mr Nyamunungu reaffirmed the contractor’s intention to “provide optimal service to road users’’.
Funding
Kasese Municipality received funding of Shs50b from the World Bank under the USMID initiative to upgrade approximately six kilometres of roads.
The road construction initiative began in January 2022. The streets targeted for improvement included Rwenzori Road, Stanley Street, Margherita Street, and various lanes around the new taxi park.
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