Pressure is mounting on officials in Bulambuli District after Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara and State Minister Justine Nameere called for the immediate arrest of a road contractor, the town engineer, the town clerk and the internal auditor over an allegedly botched bridge project worth more than Shs500 million.
The ministers' intervention follows reports that approximately UGX 504 million was allocated for the construction of a permanent bridge, but the project allegedly stalled after only earth was dumped at the site, leaving residents without the infrastructure they had been promised.
The project has sparked public outrage, with local leaders questioning how such a substantial amount of taxpayers' money could be spent without delivering the intended bridge.
The controversy gained fresh momentum after an inspection of the site revealed what leaders described as poor or incomplete works. Bulambuli County MP Emmanuel Biara Wepukhulu has also demanded a comprehensive investigation into the project, arguing that the completed work falls far short of what was budgeted for.
According to reports, the ministers want law enforcement agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the expenditure and hold accountable any officials found to have participated in the alleged misuse of public funds.
The development is in line with the new leadership's hardline stance on corruption in local governments. Since assuming office, Balaam Barugahara and Justine Nameere have repeatedly warned district and municipal officials against abuse of public resources, pledging tougher action against those accused of frustrating service delivery.
The Bulambuli bridge controversy is the latest in a series of infrastructure accountability concerns that have surfaced in the district over the years, with previous investigations also highlighting alleged irregularities in public works projects.
Investigations into the latest allegations are expected to determine whether criminal charges will be brought against the contractor and the implicated local government officials. If found culpable, they could face prosecution over the alleged loss of public funds earmarked for critical infrastructure intended to improve transport and access for communities in Bulambuli.