The standard of investigations into corruption in our country is wanting. We acknowledge the efforts of other established departments investigating corruption.
What I have learnt is that we do not conduct in-depth investigations into corruption. That is why investigators could not manage to arrest engineers, including Samuel Muhoozi, who were managing the ongoing construction of the Muyembe–Nakapiripirit road.
Eng. Samuel Muhoozi was formerly the Director of Roads and Bridges Development. He also worked as Acting Executive Director at UNRA and as the former head of Roads and Bridges Development at the Ministry of Works and Transport.
When you look at the Muyembe–Nakapiripirit road project, it nearly failed due to corruption under the watch of Eng. Samuel Muhoozi.
The Muyembe–Nakapiripirit road is a 95-kilometre road being upgraded to tarmac at a cost of Shs 399 billion. This money is jointly funded by the Islamic Development Bank and the Government of Uganda. It is being constructed by M/S Polat Yol Yapu Sanayi Ve Ticaret.
However, since 2019, when the project was commissioned, it has suffered severe delays and low progress caused by alleged collusion between some top UNRA engineers and the contractor.
When you look at the documents in my possession, three names are being mentioned: Mr. Alfred Agik, Mr. Samuel Muhoozi, and Titus Aleper, as the central officials being accused. The contractor’s name was also mentioned in the report in my possession: Yol Yapi Sanayi Ve Ticaret.
These individuals allegedly made route alignment changes of 300 to 500 metres without genuine technical reasons. This also triggered land compensation payouts.
Work on that road is still staggering due to corruption.
According to our sources, about Shs 2 trillion was lost on that road as a result of collusion between the contractor and some engineers.
More details to follow.
The writer is a senior veteran journalist.
