Residents of Mabbale Zone in Luweero town council have blocked the construction of a water channel citing shoddy work. Early this year, Luweero town council contracted Kesso construction services Limited to construct the 500 meters Mabbale water channel to stop flooding in the area.
However, part of the newly constructed water channel has already collapsed before the contractor completes the project drawing angry reactions from residents. They also accuse the contractor of abandoning the site and have threatened to confiscate his material.
Joseph Kigongo, a resident of Mabbale zone accuses the company of executing a substandard job. He says that they complained to the town clerk Muluuta Mugagga when they saw the contractor using very little cement instead of what was provided for in the contract.
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Godfrey Kakubi, the chairperson of Mabbale zone says that in addition to using limited material, the contractor has narrowed the water channel increasing flooding in the area. Kakubi says that many people are living under fear because whenever it rains, water finds its way into their homes. He says many residents’ homes in the area are on the verge of collapsing because of being submerged by water from the water channel.
Kakubi accuses both the site and town council engineer of neglecting their supervisory role leaving laborer to steal the building material. Stuart Ssebugwawo, another resident says that because of the shoddy work they have resolved to block the contractor unless he repeats the work under tight supervision. Ssebugwawo suspects that the town engineer Godfrey Butagayine and the contractor connived to mismanage the funds for meant for constructing the water channel but warns that they are not ready to suffer the consequences of flooding.
The residents have petitioned Paul Lubowa, the Luweero Resident District Commissioner and Chief Administrative Officer Christopher Kyomya to intervene and compel council to redo the works and blacklist the company for doing substandard work. Attempts by our reporter to speak to the management of Kesso Construction Company limited were fruitless. Muluuta Mugagga, the Luweero town clerk concurs with the residents about the poor quality work adding that he has ordered the contractor to redo the work immediately.
