Dot services seeks five months extension to complete Mbale road works

Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Dot Services has applied for five months extension to complete the second phase of the Uganda Support to Municipality Infrastructural Development-USMID project in Mbale City.

The government contracted Dot Services in November 2020 to undertake the construction of Naboa road and Cathedral Avenue at the tune of Shillings 14 billion.

The contractor was expected to deliver the project by February 20th, 2022. However, Mbale city authorities say the project physical works stand at 89%.

Johnson Gimuyi, the Acting Mbale City Engineer and project manager says that the contractor has asked for five more months to complete the project after failing to beat the 20th February 2022 deadline.

He however says the consultant, UB consulting engineers declined and only extended the contract for three months. According to Gimuyi, the contractor blamed the delays on the COVID-19 restrictions, which slowed works.

Gimuyi is however optimistic that Dot service will complete the remaining works within the additional three months.

Abdallah Magambo, the Mbale City Deputy Speaker says that the slow progress of the road works has affected local revenue collection.

David Wetaka, the President Mbale City Development Forum, says that the delayed relocation of the utility lines grossly affected the project.

He is however optimistic that the remaining works will be done within the project extension.

The management of Dot services has not yet commented as the project manager, Mario Christobal, could neither pick nor return repeated calls from our reporter on his known number.

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