One of the markets built in Mbale

The public Accounts committee of parliament has faulted the ministry of finance and local government for failure to work on Busega, Nyendo Masaka markets now six years since the 10 million dollar loan for this project was approved. Members of parliament on the committee were querying the ministry of finance officials over none performance of loans.

The members of parliament of this committee chaired by the Soroti district woman mp Angelina Ossege while meeting with officials from the ministry of finance led by the secretary to treasury Keith Muhakanizi discovered that government acquired the loan for the construction of these three markets in 2009 but upto date the markets are not standing. MPs noted that it took the ministry of local government 12 months to process and acquire the land titles for the respective plots of land for these markets and the delay of one year for this project necessitated an extension of the project end date. MPs were also angry that government through the line ministries have been deceiving parliament and donors that land was available for loan projects when the land is not available.

The parliamentarians similarly grilled the ministry officials over delay to begin works on Mutundwe –Entebbe transmission power line when its funds were approved in 2013.

In his response the secretary to treasury Keith Muhakanizi admitted the delay and attributed it to the ministry of local government’s failure to acquire land for this project in time. He also told the committee that absorption for loans has been slow putting a blame on the accounting officers of the line ministries and warns to take action against them. He said that Uganda is among the African countries which is slow for loan absorption at a rate of 12%.