Three district officials in Mubende faced charges of neglect of duty and conspiracy to commit a felony before the Mubende Chief Magistrate’s Court. John Baptist Muzibira, the district engineer, John Kamya Birungi, a civil engineer, and Vito Bosco Ssendikadiwa, the acting district health officer, were arrested the previous week on allegations of abuse of office and neglect of duty.
Their arrest stemmed from accusations of mismanagement and lack of supervision over a construction project at Kibalinga Health Centre III. The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) and the Police took action after reports emerged of incomplete and substandard work at the health center.
According to the state, Ssendikadiwa, as the contract manager, and the two engineers, responsible for project supervision, failed to adequately oversee the construction. This resulted in the project’s non-completion and the delivery of poor-quality work, notably in the extension of a maternity ward and the construction of a waiting shed at Kibalinga Health III in Mubende District.
Photographs circulated earlier depicted patients being compelled to rest in incomplete structures, enduring cold conditions. These images highlighted the discrepancy between the allocated funds for construction and the state of completion.
In response to these allegations, the trio faced charges of neglect of duty and conspiracy to commit a felony. They appeared before the Mubende Chief Magistrate’s Court, where they were remanded to Mubende District Prison until April 30, 2024.
The court’s decision followed a thorough examination of the evidence presented, which indicated a failure in fulfilling their obligations as public officials entrusted with overseeing the project’s execution. The gravity of the situation warranted their temporary detention pending further legal proceedings.
