The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has reportedly threatened to evict the Electoral Commission (EC) from its head offices on Jinja Road.
UNRA earmarked the current EC premises at Jinja Road for the construction of the Jinja-Kampala Expressway Flyover as well as the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) projects. EC was expected to vacate the Jinja road premises by June 2021 after receiving compensation of Shs20 billion in 2016.
Media reports indicate that the electoral body now faces eviction after it overstayed the period that the Roads Authority gave to vacate the project area.
Allan Ssempebwa, the UNRA spokesperson said;
“The law allows us to demolish or force eviction of an entity or individual whom we have compensated and has refused to relocate. The EC area that you are asking about was cleared and we should be demolishing that area.”
The government has since released an additional Shs40 billion, which brings to Shs60billion, the total amount for the electoral commission to facilitate their relocation but the procurement process has hit a snag with another investigation launched a fortnight ago by the Inspectorate of Government which is a lurking potential for derailing the already overdue process of relocation.
According to sources, the acquisition of new EC offices has been delayed due to vested interests among a section of Electoral Commission officials and external lobbying.
In November 2016, the EC started the process of vacating the current offices started after they published in a local publication for an open public procurement process, three bidders showed interest but did not add to their expectations of an ideal space for offices.
In April 2017, another process commences through the required PPDA regulations and eight bidders showed interest but they were also kicked out on grounds of failed eligibility and administrative requirements.
In August 2017, another advert was placed in newspapers and nine bidders showed applied and the best bidder faced contestation from competitors which derailed the process pushing it to the following year after which the bid validity expired.
In June 2021, EC opted for a direct procurement process after receiving three unsolicited bidders but they got interested in two which they separately visited. Upon their initial assessment, Property Services Limited ticked most of its boxes for what an ideal premise would look like.
EC Secretary Leonard Mulekwa said that the Commission is currently undertaking the procurement of new premises for its headquarters after four failed attempts since 2017. He says that although the appropriated Capital Development budget for this purpose is Shs60 billion, only Shs39.72 billion has been released.
A President Museveni letter dated March 7, 2022, about the same subject indicated that a report had been submitted to him indicating that the preferred building in Butabuka is located in a wetland, giving the Bweyogerere building which is on four acres an edge.
But a certificate seen by this website indicated that Property Services Limited’s boundaries are 150meters away from the Nema line and had been commissioned by President Museveni in 2008 with all clearances including Kampala City Authority (KCCA).
However, multiple sources who did not want to be named in this story saying it has become a sensitive matter told this publication that the procurement process has since shifted from looking at technical issues and some people are fighting for their individual interests.
“Most of these delays are sponsored by parties interested in one way or another. For instance, EC is renting on three buildings in Ntinda, Luzira, and Kyambogo and the owners of these places wouldn’t want to lose this money,” one of the sources said.
Ali Muniira, the IGG spokesperson said that the investigations are still ongoing and are yet to take shape, “By next week we shall have a better picture of the investigations as we await reports from various entities.”
The IGG investigation follows another process by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) was petitioned in 2019 on grounds of fraudulent procedures but the tribunal got EC off the hook and cleared the acquisition of a new home.