Kayunga, Uganda – Panic and outrage have gripped Kayunga district after a multi-purpose hall under construction at Namagabi Secondary School in Kayunga Town collapsed on Sunday afternoon.
The Shs700 million government-funded project, which was at the roofing stage, is now in ruins, raising serious concerns about the quality of supervision and construction practices.
The project, being implemented by HEST Engineers Co. Ltd., was under the day-to-day oversight of Kayunga district authorities.
Allegations have since emerged within district circles, suggesting that sleaze may have contributed to the collapse.
A source within the district, who requested anonymity, claimed that District Engineer Rogers Meke and a senior politician allegedly demanded kickbacks amounting to over Shs70 million from the project’s budget.
“Can you imagine that a politician and the district engineer asked for over Shs70 million from the Shs700 million meant for construction? This forced the contractor to cut corners by using insufficient cement and smaller reinforcement bars to retain some profit,” the source said.
Amid growing public anger, local leaders and residents are calling on the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to intervene and ensure accountability.
Some district councillors are also demanding a review of Engineer Meke’s academic qualifications, citing alleged incompetence in handling projects.
On Tuesday, Engineer Meke, accompanied by Andrew Muwonge, the LC5 boss and other district officials, visited the collapsed site but refused to comment. “I cannot comment on this matter, leave me alone,” he stated.
Similarly, Yusuf Kasirye, the headmaster of Namagabi Secondary School, declined to speak to journalists and instructed the school’s gatekeeper to deny access to the site.
Residents have urged the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mariam Seguya, and the District Internal Security Officer (DISO) to take immediate action against officials implicated in the incident.
Attempts to get comments from the Chief Administrative Officer were also unsuccessful. “I am not an engineer,” the official said when approached.
Corruption and bribery have been longstanding issues in Kayunga district, with several members of the district executive committee currently facing court charges for obtaining money by false pretense and other corruption-related offenses.
The collapse of the multi-purpose hall underscores the urgent need for strict oversight and accountability in public construction projects.
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