NTUNGAMO- A section of local leaders from Rugarama North and Rugarama sub counties in Rushenyi County in Ntungamo district are faulting Ntungamo political boss Samuel Mucunguzi Rwakigoba Salongo for the stalled rehabilitation of roads and failure to allocate road units to the two sub counties.
Local leaders led by their lady councilor Ms Saidat Tushabe representing both sub counties in Ntungamo council said that during the Friday 5th January 2024 district launch of completion of structures at Kyafora primary school in Rugarama North Sub County in Rushenyi County, Samuel Mucunguzi promised them that they will soon allocate road units to rehabilitate the roads, the promise that has remained unfulfilled.
Lady councilor Tushabe who doubles as a member on the Ntungamo finance committee said that council sittings agreed on how to share the road funds and chose beneficiary sub counties with each supposed to receive Ugx. 1bn of which Rugarama North and Rugarama Sub County were all beneficiaries.
The roads that were to be rehabilitated in the two sub counties include; a 10.9 km Rugarama greater road connecting Kyabirara, Katungamo, Ngomba market and Kyempene trading centre, a 10.8km Rugarama North road connecting Kyempene trading centre, Omukitengye market and Kyafoora hot spring and Kijubwe Kabasheshe road in Kayonza.
She added that on Thursday of 18th January 2024, the district engineers were on the ground surveying the roads to assess the type of units to come with and left with them a picture of coming back the following day but all in vain till now.
The team said that since then, they have been requesting for the road units to use the transitional money lobbied by their area Member of Parliament Hon. Naome Kabasharira to buy fuel but all in vain. The area MP lobbied for them Ugx 400 million but they already received Ugx 200 by October 2023 for the first quarter and will receive the remaining money in the second quarter.
Ms Tushabe told our reporter that recently she called the district chairperson for a clarification on his promise and why he is declining to allocate the road units.
“I was annoyed, the chairperson blasted me that he is the driver and no one should direct him on what to do, adding that the road units are in use in Kirungu parish, Rukoni East Ruhaama East County” Ms Tushabe added.
Sources alleged it is not true that the road units are in the areas alleged by the district boss but a connivance with the Itojo Sub County and Nyamukana town council councilor respectively Denis Muhumuza Savimbi to do some private jobs using the district road units.
The Councilor representing Rugarama Sub County and the former Ntungamo council speaker Elaijah Atuhaire revealed to our reporter that he is not aware of a private deal between councilor Denis Muhumuza Savimbi and Mucunguzi Sam.
He added that what he knows is that at first, the Ministry of transport and Works stopped them during the rainy season but promising to resume during this time they were allowed to resume the work.
Councilor representing Rugarama North, Edson Muraaza said that he is aware that the chairperson delayed the process of allocating road units to the two sub counties but thinks that the works will be done soon.
“It was unfortunate that he did not fulfill his pledge to the people from the two sub counties because it was interfered by the visit of Catholic Bishop who is visiting parts of Ntungamo including Kirungu in Rukoni East Ruhaama East where the road units were taken to rehabilitate the deteriorating roads as one of the preparations to welcome the Catholic Bishop”. Mr Atuhaire said.
He noted that it is true they have transitional funds of Ugx 400M of which they have received Ugx 200M from the Ministry of finance through their area Member of Parliament.
Our efforts to talk to the district chairperson Samuel Mucunguzi Rwakigoba Salongo over the issue was in vain despite our repeated calls.
