By Staff Reporter
A planned inspection of the ongoing construction works at Lubowa Specialised Hospital turned chaotic after the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, and several other legislators were denied access to the facility.
The MPs had travelled to the hospital in Wakiso District to assess the progress of the construction project, which has been ongoing for more than six years.
The Lubowa Specialised Hospital project was awarded to investor Enrica Pinetti by the Ugandan government. Construction began in 2019, with the government committing approximately Shs1.5 trillion to the project.
The facility was intended to provide world-class specialised medical services and reduce the number of Ugandans travelling abroad to seek medical treatment.
However, the legislators’ planned inspection was disrupted when they were denied entry into the construction site.
Ssenyonyi said he had written to the Minister of Finance and senior officials at the Ministry of Health, informing them of their intention to visit the hospital. He added that they had received an official letter authorising the inspection.
Despite securing permission, Ssenyonyi said the delegation was shocked to find the gates closed upon arrival.
According to Ssenyonyi, the legislators knocked repeatedly but no one came to open the gate, leaving them stranded outside the facility.
He raised concerns that individuals involved in the project could be concealing information. Ssenyonyi, however, vowed that the opposition would continue scrutinising government-funded projects to ensure accountability for taxpayers’ money.
Among the legislators who had planned to inspect the site were Nansana Municipality MP Zzambaali Bulasio Mukasa, Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Lubowa Ssebina Gyaviira and Bukoto South MP Kizza Hakim Sawula.
The MPs said the time had come for the government to provide Ugandans with a clear explanation of what was happening at the hospital construction site.
They expressed frustration over repeated incidents in which legislators have allegedly been denied access whenever they visit the facility to assess the progress of the works.
The lawmakers argued that the prolonged construction period and restrictions on site inspections had increased the need for transparency and accountability regarding the project.
This is not the first time that Members of Parliament and government ministers have reportedly faced difficulties accessing the Lubowa Specialised Hospital construction site.
On a previous occasion, legislators who visited the facility to inspect the works were reportedly informed that magnetic access cards were still being prepared. The cards were said to be necessary for allowing them to move around the construction site before they could be granted access.
The latest incident has renewed calls for the government to explain the progress of the Lubowa Specialised Hospital project and account for the public funds invested in its construction.
