Lubowa Hospital site a no go area for government officials as Minister, MPs are blocked

The Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary has written to the speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga notifying her that the construction site for the International Specialised Hospital of Uganda (ISHU) in Lubowa, Wakiso district is out of bounds for government officials.

In May, Kadaga instructed the parliamentary Health Committee to investigate allegations in relation to the disappearance of money meant for construction of the hospital.

However, in an August 2 letter, Muhakanizi told Kadaga that the construction site has been handed over to the contractor and that the site is no longer in the hands of government.

“The site is no longer in the hands of government and government officials cannot, therefore move on and off the site at will,” Muhakanizi told Kadaga.

“As guided by the Deputy Attorney General when he appeared before the committee on National Economy on August 1, 2019, issues relating to the construction site at Lubowa are the subject pending litigation. Accordingly, government officials cannot be deliberating let alone entering upon the site which is the subject of the pending litigations.”

Minister, MPs blocked

On Tuesday, members of the committee on the national economy were blocked from accessing the construction site.

The government officials including the Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng, the Permanent Secretary, Dr.Diana Atwine and MPs on the national economic committee led by Syda Bbumba were not allowed to access the construction site which has been cordoned off.

At the site was the presence of security personnel led by Local Defence Unit personnel.

However, the legislators said their visit had been okayed by deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah

In March, the Ugandan Parliament guaranteed a 1.4 trillion Shillings loan to Finasi/ROKO for the construction of the 264-bed specialized health care project.

However, there were reports that at least 240 billion shillings, of the total loan, had gone missing even before the project could start and it was later reported that the joint venture between Finasi and ROKO had collapsed.

It was reported that Finasi ditched ROKO Construction Company in favour of another company.

In June, Roko Construction Company petitioned court seeking to stop Finansi/Roko Construction SPV Limited and Finansi International Fzc from interfering with their work and to be in possession of the site for the proposed International Specialised Hospital.

The High Court later issued restraint orders against Finasi/Roko Construction SPV Limited and Finasi International FZC from evicting Roko Construction or alienating the Roko Construction Limited.

The court case is still ongoing.