ugnet_: Re: [Ugandacom]

[Rehema Mukooza]

I agree with you Mr. Ed Kironde.

Ed Kironde <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Re-renovating Renovations!

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Re-renovating Renovations

Renovating of Entebbe State House at a tune of $77 million is not economically viable given the resources and needs of our nation   Reports say that Ssentoogo and Partners, jointly with Symbion Architects, won the bid, beating four other firms, including the Norwegian Norplan and Sekaziga and Sons, who built the president's home in Rwakitura, Mbarara,.  When they won the bid, the works were expected to cost $20 million and the figure has nearly quadrupled.

We may well remember that 10 years ago, the same building was renovated at a cost of 3 million pound sterling. News papers report that during the recent tour, legislators found our State House in a sorry state.

�MPs were shocked at the state of the Entebbe State House with bare rain-socked walls, damaged wooden floors, a gaping ceiling and bare electric wires.  There was near disaster when one MP entered a gaping hole on the wooden floor doubling as the ceiling for the ground level. He lay flat on his back as his colleagues helped to pull him out.�  New Vision Tuesday, 2nd March, 2004

 

That is a clear sign of neglect and subjecting government property to waste.  After dumping $77 million into this building which now seems to have a bottomless pit, what assurance do the citizens of Uganda have that ten years later another $200 million will not be �passed by the house� to re-renovate the renovations?

 

Razing the building and constructing a new modern State House as some MPs had suggested would be the only economically viable solution.  I happened to be a frequent visitor to the State House in 1979 after the removal of Idi Amin and in one of the living rooms, right above a giant sofa seat, was a bullet ridden ceiling and we were told that Amin used to fire shots during meetings to intimidate his cabinet ministers and other guests.

 

I do not know how much of a Historical value this colonial building is, given the abuse subjected it by Idi Amin and the current neglected state it is in.  Agreeably, the location of the building is very strategic and it is easy to provide security to our first family. 

If we are kin to retain the current abused structure, the renovation cost should be kept at the original bid of $20 million.  Can you imagine what the remaining $57 millions can do? 

 

With 56 districts, construct 56 health clinics, one in every district to a tune of a million dollar each.  The remaining one million dollar should go to the Universal Primary Fund!

�Jinja Hospital is relatively old having been established in the 1930s. The government of Uganda instituted a study that resulted in a master plan for the rehabilitation and renovation of the 500-bed hospital.

The master plan was designed to be as patient friendly and as cost effective as possible. The findings of the master plan established that the entire project would cost the Uganda government US$ 30 million.� http://www.readafrica.com/0202020324comag.html#3

The government needs to shop around and get value for the tax payer�s money.  For those of you who have been to Las Vegas, Nevada, USA:

�        Hard Rock Hotel and casino, 11-story hotel with 335 rooms, 10,000 Sq/foot concert hall, numerous restaurants and shops, cost =$100 million.

If our State House needs $77 million dollars to be renovated, it is in a very dangerous state and it is not worth renovation.  It is like feeding the pig which will always come back for more.  Demolish the structure and erect a new official home for our presidents.

 

Edriss S Kironde

Founder, National Party of Uganda

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

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