Mukono Suspends Civil Works by Chinese Contractor

ukono Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi informed CCCC's Authorized Representative, Xiong Pailiang, of the suspension following a detailed review of the contractor’s performance.

The Mukono Municipal Council has officially suspended civil works undertaken by China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) due to the company's repeated failure to meet contractual obligations and comply with environmental and social safeguards.

In a March 7 letter, Mukono Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi informed CCCC's Authorized Representative, Xiong Pailiang, of the suspension following a detailed review of the contractor’s performance.

The suspension affects several key road construction projects under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP), a national initiative managed by the Ministry of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs (MoKCC&MA).

The affected roads include Anthony-Kame, Kame Annex, Albert Cook Cathedral Rise, Kame-Nabuti-Katosi, Admin Link, Access Road, and Link Road.

In the letter, Byabagambi cited "persistent failure to comply with safeguards requirements" as the main reason behind the suspension, adding that CCCC’s lack of responsiveness and on-site presence had raised growing concerns.

"It has been observed that there is total disregard of your contractual obligations to safeguard your workers and the public," Byabagambi wrote.

The decision follows multiple warnings issued to CCCC by the council, including notices on 10th October 2024 and 10th January 2025, which outlined several issues, such as poor incident reporting, withholding critical project-related information, and inadequate health and safety measures.

Additionally, the company failed to provide adequate welfare for workers, including medical care, and neglected to implement a proper grievance redress mechanism.

Mukono Municipal Council has directed CCCC to address these concerns at their own expense. The company must now conduct a thorough inspection of project vehicles and equipment, establish a dedicated team for environmental and social safeguards, appoint a safety team, and implement improved emergency response protocols.

The council has made it clear that the suspension will remain in place until CCCC addresses these issues to the satisfaction of a joint team comprising representatives from the Municipal Council, supervising consultants, and MoKCC&MA.

Byabagambi stated, "The suspension will only be lifted when CCCC has satisfactorily resolved all identified issues."

The contract, which was signed in July last year, is valued at Shs. 46 billion and includes the tarmacking of several roads in Mukono Municipality, such as Wantoni-Kame, Kame Annex Road, Albert Cook Road, Cathedral Rise, and Kame-Katosi. The work was initially scheduled to be completed within 18 months.

During the signing ceremony, Minister of Kampala Capital City Minsa Kabanda warned against corruption and interference in the project.

Kabanda emphasized that corruption had previously hindered the successful implementation of government programs in Mukono, leading to wasted resources and substandard results.

The minister stressed the importance of proper budgeting and the use of high-quality materials to ensure durable and reliable roads.

The China Communications Construction Company had pledged to deliver high-quality work within the set timeline and to foster a positive working relationship with local leaders.

Currently, approximately 80 percent of the road network in Mukono Municipality is in poor condition, which exacerbates traffic congestion and requires urgent intervention to improve accessibility.