“We wont listen to naysayers”- UPDF on Lukwago’s comments on Kampala road repairs

The UPDF has said they will not listen to words of commentators about the ongoing works to repair Kampala roads by the Special Forces Command engineering regiment.

“Unless there is any other reason or motivation for our leaders making such statements but we have always been seen by our fruits as the Bible says. When we started working on Namboole stadium, we got similar statements but where we are, everyone has kept quiet,” deputy UPDF spokesperson Col Deo Akiiki said on Tuesday.

He was responding to comments by Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago who claimed that SFC doesn’t have the capacity to handle city roadworks.

Lukwago told journalists that the equipment that the Special Forces Command engineering regiment is using for city roadworks belong to Kampala Capital City Authority.

However, according to the deputy defence spokesperson, the Kampala Lord Mayor is misguided on his claims.

“Working on roads requires a lot of equipment and we have them on ground. Our engineers have been on ground for the last two or three weeks and are doing a good job. SFC engineering regiment is using its on equipment.”

Col Deo Akiiki said as the SFC engineering regiment started its work, they were given two pickups which had been grounded by KCCA and asked to repair for use as service vans but noted soon, SFC will acquire its brand-new service vans for use.

“May be it is those two pickups we repaired that he is referring to. Everyone can go on ground and see what exactly is happening but not sitting to hear people in conference centres speaking. If we have just started and leaders(Lukwago) start sabotaging these activities, I don’t see them( leaders) succeeding,” Col Akiiki said.

He insisted that SFC engineers will not listen to background noise from Lord Mayor Lukwago but will rather just continue with their work as stipulated in the contract signed.

President Museveni in May directed the Prime Minister and KCCA to hand the Kampala Road repairs to SFC.

Whereas KCCA had indicated the road works would cost over shs10 billion, SFC recently said they will spend shs2 billion to do the repairs.

So far, the SFC engineering regiment has started working  on Rashid Khamis Road, Nsalo road, Old Kampala ring, Fort Road, School road, Lower Kololo Terrace, K.A.R road, Snay Bin Amir rise, Kiyembe lane, William street, Burton street, Wilson street, Dustur street, Sikh street, Berkeley road, Ginnery road and Boundary road among others in the Central Business District.

However, the roadworks have been interrupted by the heavy rains pounding the city.