On Monday, October 14, members of Uganda’s shadow cabinet, led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi, were denied access to the offices of Roko Construction Limited in Kawempe, Kampala. The legislators were visiting the company to follow up on a government bailout of Shs23.3 billion that was given to the firm in 2022.
Speaking to reporters after being blocked, Ssenyonyi explained that it is the duty of Parliament to ensure accountability for taxpayers’ money. He stated that their visit was part of ongoing efforts to understand how the funds are being used. The opposition leader expressed disappointment at being turned away without an opportunity to investigate the company’s financial situation.
According to Ssenyonyi, the government recently submitted another request for additional funds, ranging between Shs200 billion and Shs300 billion, on behalf of Roko Construction. This request has raised concerns among the opposition, particularly in light of reports that employees of the company are owed up to four months in salary arrears.
Ssenyonyi highlighted that Roko is responsible for critical national infrastructure projects, including the construction of Lubowa Hospital and the new parliamentary chambers. These projects have faced significant delays, with the parliamentary chambers originally due for completion by the end of the 10th Parliament in 2021.
The shadow cabinet had notified Roko of their intended visit in a communication sent on October 8, but they received no response. Upon arrival, they were informed that the company’s board of directors had declined their request to enter the premises. Ssenyonyi called this refusal “problematic” and suggested it reflects deeper issues with how the government manages financial support to private companies. He added that the bailout funds given to Roko in 2022 had initially been approved without adequate due diligence, something that raised concerns at the time.
The opposition leader stressed that their oversight visit was not meant to create tension but to ensure that public money is being spent responsibly. “It is our duty to establish what is happening with taxpayers’ money,” Ssenyonyi said. “We cannot demand accountability just on the floor of Parliament because government ministers often provide unclear answers.”
Shammim Malende, Kampala Woman Member of Parliament, expressed frustration at being barred from the premises. She vowed to raise the issue in Parliament, demanding greater accountability from Roko. Malende suggested that future requests for bailouts or supplementary budgets for the company should be blocked until there is a clear explanation of how previous funds have been used.
Nakaseke South MP Paulson Semakula Luttamaguzi echoed her concerns, calling on fellow legislators not to approve further bailouts for Roko. “Why are you shying away? Even if you’re protected by some invisible hands in the state, you will account for the money,” Luttamaguzi said.
Efforts to get a comment from Roko Construction officials were unsuccessful, as they had not responded to inquiries by press time. However, a letter from Roko dated October 10 addressed to Ssenyonyi stated that the board had “politely declined” to admit the shadow cabinet to the premises. The letter was also copied to several high-ranking officials, including Parliament Speaker Anita Among, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, and Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi.
The standoff has sparked debate over the government’s handling of bailouts to private companies and whether there is sufficient oversight to ensure these funds are used properly.
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