Kikuube chairman, CAO fight over incomplete office

A row has erupted between Kikuube district chairman Peter Banura and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Moses Angume over a Shs5.5 billion office block.

Angume has occupied the ground floor of the administration block, valued at Shs2.26 billion, a decision Banura considered a nerve because the new facility is still under construction.

In March last year, the construction of a Shs5.5 billion Kikuube administration block was launched, with funding from the Office of the Prime Minister under the World Bank Development response to displaced impact project known as DRDIP.

The construction was expected to be completed within six months.

The three-storey building undertaken by CMD Construction Limited is supposed to be constructed in phases, with the first phase which is ground floor to cost Shs2.26 billion.

But Angume is said to have grown increasingly frustrated by the delay in the completion of the project.

A meeting called for both the technical and political heads of the district to interface with local government finance committee was shunned by the entire executive despite repeated reminders.

While in the meeting, the CAO demanded answers on why the political leaders were not in the meeting.

He also complained that he was tired of using a small office.

"You see now here we have huge space to meet our guests," Angume told the meeting sitting in the structure still under construction.

"Unlike the other small space in my office, I became impatient to wait until the contractor is done, he has delayed, let's be in as he finalies his work."

After meeting, the local government technical team was forced to meet the political wing and it is during this late meeting that CAO Angume and Chairman Banura almost came to blows.

Banura apparently insisted that Angume had to vacate the structure, saying the guidelines do not allow occupancy of a building under construction.

"I can't accept seeing guidelines being flouted, it's clear that we don't have to get into the structure until it is commissioned and handed over," Banura said.

"I will not get into that building until its fully handed over to us by the contractor."

The Resident District Commissioner Amlan Tumusiime said he was aware of the fight between the two and that he would call for a meeting to reconciliation meeting.

"I know my role, the CAO knows his role, and the chairman knows his roles, so it's a matter of meeting and listening to both parties so that there is sanity in the district," the RDC said.

"I agree the contractor has delayed, but we can't allow fights, the people of Kikuube want service delivery."