President Yoweri Museveni has directed the UPDF Engineering Brigade to take over the construction of all government projects including schools and health facilities in the country effective FY 2021/22.
In a letter dated July 1st addressed to Minister of Health Dr. Jne Ruth Aceng and First lady, also minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni, the president directed that the army through its Construction Brigade with effect from this financial year must undertake all construction works starting with the health and education sectors.
Museveni expressed frustration with red tape and expensive bureaucratic tendencies that tend to stall key government projects urging the UPDF unit to take over the projects immediately.
“Unfortunately, I have noted with concern that many of the Government Projects in other sectors are often delayed due to lengthy procurement processes and in other cases, corruption perpetrated by some unscrupulous Government Workers,” Museveni noted in the letter.
“I am very certain that we can avoid all these delays in implementing Government Construction Projects by utilizing the Army Construction Brigade to undertake these works.”
As such the president directed that “with effect from the FY 2021/2022, all new construction projects for Health facilities and Schools must be undertaken by the Army Construction Brigade, as a pilot.”
“This directive will be gradually extended to cover other sectors of the Government,” he added.
The Brigade has already been involved in multiple construction works including the Buhinga stadium in Fort Portal tourism, the Kololo Independence Grounds, Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, renovation of the Uganda Railways system among others.
The Brigade also built several of the army structures including the just-concluded Special Forces Command Headquarters.
It has also built a number of Health facilities such as Mbuya Military Hospital, Biddabuggya Health Center in Kakaseke district among others.
Museveni noted in the letter that the brigade had been “very instrumental in implementing many projects ranging from simple to high level and advanced construction projects.
“Moreover, because this is part of the UPDF, the country has made a lot of savings in terms of funds and time,” he said
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