VANESSA A
The Resident District Commissioner of Rukungiri District, Brone Kyikanshemeza, has declined to commission a newly constructed three-classroom block at Bishops Kasheshe Primary School in Buyanja Town Council, citing substandard workmanship.
The incident occurred on Wednesday during an official handover ceremony, where the RDC was expected to commission the project on behalf of the government. However, upon inspection, he noted several construction defects and stopped the process, saying he could not approve what he described as a “half-baked” structure.
Kyikanshemeza emphasized that government funds, provided under President Yoweri Museveni’s development programs, are meant to deliver quality public infrastructure. He urged the district engineering team and the contractor to rectify the identified issues before the facility can be officially handed over.
School authorities, including Headteacher Annet Musasizi and PTA chairperson Jessica Begyirira, confirmed that while the structure’s exterior appeared satisfactory, concerns had long been raised about the quality of the floor and visible cracks. They noted that repeated complaints had been made to responsible officials, who had assured them the issues would be fixed before commissioning.
The Rukungiri District Engineer, Julius Bagyira, acknowledged the concerns but explained that cracks in cement floors can occur due to various factors, including improper curing when water is not adequately applied during the setting process. He added that such issues do not necessarily mean the entire structure is poorly constructed.
Bagyira further pledged to follow up with the contractor to ensure all defects are corrected, noting that the project remains under a six-month defects liability period during which the contractor is required to address any shortcomings before final payment is completed.
