Authorities in Kitagwenda District have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the contractor of Kanara Seed School to complete the long-delayed project or risk termination of the contract.
The project, awarded in January 2023 to Skyworth Technology Services Limited at a cost of Shs2.6 billion, was initially scheduled for completion within 18 months.
However, despite several engagements between the district and the contractor, construction remains incomplete.
Earlier, the Chief Administrative Officer, Moses RK Dalili, had directed the contractor to vacate the site after failing to meet agreed timelines.
The contractor later sought a court injunction to block the eviction, but the court declined to grant the request.
On Tuesday, district authorities led by the Chief Administrative Officer, the Resident District Commissioner, and other stakeholders held a harmonisation meeting at the project site following a monitoring and evaluation exercise which showed that progress had improved from 78 percent to 94 percent completion.
Following the assessment, the district resolved to allow the contractor to proceed with the project under strict conditions.
“We have agreed to give the contractor a final 21 days to complete the remaining works,” Dalili said. “He must provide both financial and physical progress reports within this period. Failure to meet these conditions will result in termination of the contract and handover of the project to another contractor.”
He emphasised that the district is determined to ensure value for money and timely delivery of public projects.
“We cannot continue to tolerate delays on critical infrastructure meant to benefit our communities. This school is important for improving access to education in Kanara Sub-county,” he added.
The Managing Director of Skyworth Technology Services Limited, Ivan Ssewankambo, acknowledged the delays and attributed them to implementation challenges.
“We admit that the progress has been slow, but we have now picked up momentum,” Ssewankambo said. “We are committed to working closely with the district to ensure that the project is completed within the given timeframe.”
Local leaders and residents have expressed concern over the prolonged delay, urging the contractor to meet the new deadline so that learners can benefit from the facility.
The Kanara Seed School project is part of the government’s efforts to expand access to secondary education in underserved areas under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program.
Once completed, the school is expected to ease congestion in existing schools and improve education standards in Kitagwenda District.
