Kole, Uganda – In a hard-hitting move, Kole North MP Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti has issued a one-week ultimatum to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and district engineer to rectify substandard roadworks in his constituency.
In a letter dated December 11, 2024, Opio Acuti detailed his concerns after a monitoring exercise revealed poor-quality work on several road projects.
He cited glaring discrepancies between the funds allocated for the projects and the actual progress on the ground.
“The money claimed to have been invested in upgrading roads in Kole North is UGX 49 million,” the MP wrote. “However, the state of the roads does not match the Bill of Quantities (BOQ).”
One example was the 7-kilometer Alito–Aromo road, which had UGX 14 million allocated.
According to Opio Acuti, only basic roadside clearing has been done, with no water channels or swamp areas addressed, falling far short of the design plan.
Another troubling case is the Aboke Ginary–Alyat road, where UGX 15 million was claimed but only an estimated UGX 5.3 million hasn’t been utilized effectively.
“This indicates clear signs of corruption,” the MP noted, urging immediate action to restore accountability.
Opio Acuti accused Kole district authorities of consistently failing to provide satisfactory feedback on public funds.
He referenced a recent directive from the Inspectorate of Government (IGG), which instructed the district engineer to return UGX 5 million to the district account due to accountability gaps.
“If these individuals fail to correct the shoddy work, we as leaders from Kole North will take serious actions against them,” Opio Acuti vowed.
He added that residents are furious and have barred the district from retrieving road graders until the issues are resolved.
Responding to the letter, CAO Emmanuel Soit Wamburu acknowledged the challenges, citing the district’s limited resources, including having just one grader.
“We will work to address these roads before the year ends,” he assured.
A copy of Opio Acuti’s letter has also been sent to the Ministry of Local Government, signaling heightened scrutiny of Kole district’s operations.
