Local leaders in Namutumba District are demanding answers from Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Emmanuel Ofwono and District Chairperson David Mukisa following the early opening of the still-incomplete Nangonde Health Centre III, despite multiple defects flagged by the District Health Committee.
The Shs 909 million facility—featuring a maternity ward, male and female wards, a children’s wing, latrines, and staff houses—was constructed beginning in 2023 and was expected to be completed within eight months. The project, however, faced delays due to bureaucratic hurdles.
Despite outstanding defects, the centre was publicly unveiled in March by State Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Persis Namuganza, who also represents Bukono Constituency.
District councilors argue that the public commissioning ignored technical guidance and deprived residents of value for money.
Councilor Kalenzi Kasim of Namutumba Town Council expressed concern over what he termed shoddy workmanship:
“We want CAO Ofwono to explain why they commissioned an incomplete health facility—there’s no value for money. This is shoddy work; the CAO commissioned it with defects. How long will it last?”
Health Committee member and Ivukula Sub-County Councilor Paul Okanya acknowledged the urgent need for services but emphasized that quality should not be compromised:
“It’s true we want services closer to the people, but we also want value for money.”
Councilor Isiko Nabongho of Mazuba Sub-County urged district leadership to compel the contractor to fix outstanding defects or face consequences:
“Substandard projects put people’s lives at risk.”
Deputy CAO Weweyo Abudunas Mudenya asked for more time before offering an official response, noting that the matter would be addressed during the next council sitting in line with the Health Committee’s recommendations.
District Vice Chairperson Godfrey Mutyaba defended the move, saying the opening was an improvised measure to meet urgent healthcare needs:
“It is true the facility is not complete, but it wasn’t officially commissioned. Waiting for the line ministry’s official launch would have delayed healthcare delivery.”
District Chairperson David Mukisa added that the centre is approximately 90 percent complete and is already easing the burden on residents who previously traveled over 40km for treatment:
“We decided to start offering services as construction continues, with the official launch to follow later.”
He noted that once residents learned the facility was operational, it quickly became one of the busiest in the district.
Some community members, however, believe political pressure influenced the decision. Resident Wilson Maka alleged that Minister Namuganza pushed the CAO to fast-track the opening for political gain:
“The CAO should be held accountable. How could he have paid the contractor when the project was still incomplete?”
The dispute comes as Namutumba District continues to grapple with severe shortages of health workers and facilities. The district has only three doctors serving a large population, with many areas still lacking Health Centre IIIs and IVs.
As the debate intensifies, both district leaders and residents await the outcomes of the upcoming council session, where the Health Committee’s recommendations on Nangonde Health Centre III are expected to take center stage.