By Alex Byakatonda
apearlnews.com
The Kabale District Executive Committee-DEC has okayed the start of
the procurement process for the contractor to undertake the
reconstruction of Maziba Primary school in Maziba Sub-county of Kabale district.
Maziba Primary school was destroyed by landslides and a hailstorm
characterized by strong winds in 2020. However, the district last
week, secured a total of 500 million shillings for its reconstruction.
Now, the decision to allow for the immediate procurement of the
contractor was reached on Tuesday, during the District Executive
committee meeting that was held in the district boardroom, chaired by
the District LC5 Chairperson, Nelson Nshangabasheija.
The Kabale District Senior Procurement officer, Mercy Atuheire, said
that recently, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, ordered that the
Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs starts to use the Army
construction/Engineering Brigade, to undertake the construction works
in government installations by, among others, the Force account
a mechanism, as provided for under the PPDA (Force Account Mechanism),
Regulations 2014.
She, however, said that in his letter dated 1st November 2021, to the
Ministry of Education and Sports, the President again directed that
his earlier directive does not apply to Primary schools, since the
Army’s Engineering Brigade would be overstretched.
The Kabale Chief Administrative officer, Edmond Ntimba, said that the
issue of Maziba Primary school needs urgent and quick attention.
The Kabale District LC5 Chairperson Nelson Nshangabasheija, noted that waiting for the Army Engineering brigade and other procurement processes could delay the reconstruction of the school, yet the
learners are studying in improvised dilapidated structures.