Written By | BK Mugizi
District Engineer Kiiza Barnabas Mbonimp
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BUSHENYI
Bushenyi District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Sanyu Phionah, has ordered a to explain allegations of gross misconduct linked to the management and supervision of road works, including the Shs252.2 million Kalinzu Eco-Tourism Road project.
In a letter dated August 20, 2025, the CAO accused Mbonimpa of failing to account for public resources, insubordination, failure to comply with performance management requirements and irregular dealings with a road contractor.
The allegations come amid concerns raised by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) over the quality and management of the Kalinzu road project.
A section of Karinzu Eco Tourism road in Question
Engineer accused of failing to supervise road works
According to the disciplinary letter, the district undertook road works through a hire system, but Mbonimpa allegedly failed to ensure their timely completion despite receiving facilitation, including fuel and murram.
During a community meeting held at Kyamuhunga Sub-county last week, Phionah reiterated the concerns raised in the disciplinary letter, saying the engineer had previously received verbal and formal warnings over what she described as laxity and unsatisfactory performance.
She also accused him of failing to provide timely reports required for decision-making and of concealing information for personal benefit.
The CAO further questioned his dealings with Rock and Dirt Solutions Ltd, saying the relationship between the company and the district had not been adequately documented.
“Efforts to obtain adequate documentation from you as regards the relationship between Rock and Dirt Solutions Limited with the district have not yielded, as you have continuously refused to comply,” the letter states.
The allegations are also linked to concerns surrounding the implementation and supervision of the Kalinzu Eco-Tourism Road in Kyamuhunga Sub-county.
PPDA flags defects on Shs252m road
A PPDA contract audit conducted in July 2025 found several defects on the Kalinzu road, whose contract was valued at Shs252,201,400.
The contract was awarded to Rock and Dirt Solutions Ltd in October 2022 and was initially expected to be completed in April 2023 before receiving a two-month extension.
The audit, signed by PPDA Chief Executive Officer Benson Turamye, identified peeled road surfaces, erosion, bleeding of the road surface, inadequate drainage, potholes and aggregates that did not meet the required specifications.
The auditors found that the first 100-metre section had a peeled surface, which they attributed to the use of a single seal with fine aggregates instead of the required materials.
They also found a section about one kilometre into the road with uneven levels and no required 2.5 per cent crossfall, resulting in stagnant water.
The audit further found that aggregate materials used on the project failed some required tests, while another section had been affected by uncontrolled stormwater.
At about 4,900 metres, the auditors found soft rock beneath the road that had reportedly been left untreated before a surface seal was applied, causing the materials to fail to bond properly.
The audit also cited bleeding on sections of the road, which it said could have resulted from poor control of the spray rate and created a slippery surface for road users.
Defects remain despite directives
The PPDA findings indicate that some of the identified defects had not been rectified despite earlier directives to the contractor.
According to the audit, the district engineer instructed Rock and Dirt Solutions Ltd on September 25, 2023, to rectify the defects by December 22, 2023, but the contractor did not take action.
At a PPDA fieldwork closing meeting on March 28, 2025, district management promised to engage the contractor for a joint assessment and develop an action plan.
The contractor later participated in a joint assessment on April 30, 2025, and was directed to rectify the defects during the May and June dry spell.
However, the audit continued to raise concerns over the quality of the road works.
District withholds Shs57m
According to the audit, the district had withheld Shs57,075,715 from the contractor because the identified defects had not been corrected.
PPDA recommended that the accounting officer ensure the contractor submits a defects correction report showing the works undertaken and quality-control measures put in place to prevent recurrence.
RDC questions payments to contractors
Bushenyi Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Emmy Ngabirano told Our Reporter that the district engineer had also been faulted over payments made to contractors.
Ngabirano said Mbonimpa was accused of paying contractors up to 80 per cent of the contract amount before half of the contracted works had been completed.
She said the concerns raised over supervision and payments required closer monitoring of public projects to ensure contractors deliver work according to agreed specifications before receiving substantial payments.
Civil society links contractor to former municipal engineer
Apollo Kakonge, Executive Director of the Western Ankole Civil Society Forum (WACSOF), said the Kalinzu Eco-Tourism Road case raised broader concerns about accountability in the management of public contracts.
Kakonge alleged that Rock and Dirt Solutions Ltd is owned by Eng. Deus Nuwagira, a former Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipal engineer.
He also alleged that Nuwagira resigned from his position following corruption allegations.
Kakonge said civil society had raised concerns over the quality of the Kalinzu road and welcomed the inspection and subsequent intervention by the relevant authorities.
He called for stronger monitoring of public projects, saying officials responsible for supervising contractors should ensure that public funds are only paid for work that has been properly executed.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Rock and Dirt Solutions Ltd were unsuccessful, as the company's officials were unavailable for comment.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Mbonimpa on the allegations were also unsuccessful by press time.
The CAO's disciplinary letter lists six allegations against Mbonimpa: failure to account for public resources, non-compliance with performance management requirements, insubordination, acts or omissions against the public interest, acts that bring the public service into disrepute, and refusal to comply with lawful instructions.
PPDA raises wider concerns
The Kalinzu road was among 10 procurements reviewed by PPDA in Bushenyi District Local Government.
The audit found that seven of the 10 contracts were unsatisfactory, while only three were satisfactory. PPDA further said five contracts failed to achieve value for money and did not deliver the intended services to beneficiaries.
Other concerns included incomplete delivery of post-harvest equipment worth Shs333.307 million, installation of a solar pump that did not match the contracted specifications, and inadequate planning for risks affecting the durability of road works.
