Agago leaders faulted over Stalled Shs2.1 billion Kotomor Seed School Project
"You connive with the contractor, authorizing payments even when they have not delivered quality work," Ambako told district officials during the inspection.
Agago: A Shs2.1 billion seed secondary school project in Agago District has come under intense scrutiny after a Senior Presidential Advisor on Mobilization accused district leaders of poor supervision that has delayed its completion and resulted in substandard construction.
The criticism was made by Lt. Col. (Rtd) Ambako Kibrai, a Senior Presidential Advisor for Mobilization attached to the RDC Secretariat on Anti-Corruption in the Office of the President, during an inspection of Kotomor Seed Secondary School as part of a week-long monitoring exercise in the Acholi Sub-region.
The school is one of Uganda’s 111 seed secondary schools being constructed under the World Bank-funded Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UgIFT) Programme. Construction began in 2023 under Mesco Company Limited at a cost of Shs2.1 billion, but the project remains incomplete three years later.
Ambako blamed the district engineering department and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for failing to adequately supervise the contractor.
“You connive with the contractor, authorizing payments even when they have not delivered quality work,” Ambako told district officials during the inspection.
While touring the facility, Ambako pointed to cracked walls and floors, damaged doors, poorly fitted windows and other defects, describing them as clear signs of poor workmanship.
He expressed concern that students are already studying in part of the unfinished facility despite the construction defects.
District officials explained that Mesco Company Limited’s contract was terminated earlier this year after three deadline extensions failed to deliver satisfactory progress. While the classroom block was completed, the laboratory and library remain unfinished.
According to the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, the district has since contracted three new firms to complete works at Kotomor Seed Secondary School and Wol Seed Secondary School in Wol Town Council.
Officials said Shs220 million has already been released to facilitate completion of the projects.
Originally established by parents as a community school in 2016, Kotomor was taken over by the government in 2023 under the national seed secondary school programme.
Ambako also criticized the school’s environment, saying overgrown grass and poor sanitation were creating an unconducive learning environment.
He further expressed concern over the school’s enrolment of only 120 learners, despite serving a catchment area of six primary schools.
“Popularize the school so that parents in the catchment area become aware. Send your teachers to talk to the parents and sensitize the masses,” he urged.
The inspection formed part of Ambako’s nationwide monitoring exercise under President Yoweri Museveni’s anti-corruption and service delivery campaign dubbed “Kisanja: No More Sleep, No More Corruption.”
The exercise included meetings with security officials, political leaders and technical staff, as well as inspections of education, health and agricultural projects across Agago District.
Despite challenges such as inadequate staffing and limited transport, Ambako called on district leaders to strengthen coordination, accountability and prudent use of public resources to improve service delivery.
“Government is investing heavily in these projects. Leaders must ensure value for money through proper supervision, accountability and timely implementation,” he said.
The presidential monitoring team is currently conducting similar inspections across the country to promote transparency, fight corruption and improve the implementation of government programmes.
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