A red flag has been raised over Kampala Capital City Authority’s delays in installing 750 street solar lights in the city after the Shs. 7b project stalled a year ago.
Government in October last year released Shs 7 billion to KCCA ahead of the November 27-29 papal visit to Uganda to change the entire LED lighting system to solar powered street lighting.
The solar lights were meant to be installed along; Bombo Road, Kampala Road, Jinja, Mukwano Road, Nile Avenue, Kintu Road, Entebbe Road, Katwe-Kibuye among others.
Many of these LED lighting systems were installed during the 2007 CHOGM preparations, but they later broke down.
Philips East Africa Limited was procured and signed a contract on 22 October 2015 amidst criticism against KCCA by bidders, who poked holes in the procurement process.
According to the information on the KCCA website, the contractor availed a work plan that committed to have the project delivered by 20 November, 2015, which was reflected in the signed contract.
However towards the Pope’s visit, KCCA noticed discrepancies in the information submitted by the contractor, where most of the information committed to previously was inconsistent with unfolding events.
The contractor then went ahead to install temporary street lights as a stop gap measure ahead of the visit.
KCCA deputy spokesperson, Robert Kalumba says they are in the final procurement process and that another contractor will be awarded the tender to complete the project.
