KAMPALA — Hon. Dan Kimosho has questioned officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment over discrepancies in the implementation of an irrigation project and the lack of clear information regarding the feasibility of a solar-powered water supply systems project.
Kimosho raised the concerns during a meeting of Parliament’s Natural Resources and Environment Committee, where officials from the ministry appeared to respond to questions about the projects and their implementation.
The meeting was attended by a delegation led by the Minister of State for Water, Hon. Aisha Ssekindi, alongside the ministry’s Permanent Secretary and other officials.
One of the major issues raised during the engagement was the difference between the number of irrigation project sites approved by Parliament and those reportedly covered under the project.
According to Kimosho, Parliament had approved 920 sites for the irrigation project, but the project was reported to have only 687 sites, raising questions about the reduction of 233 sites and the reasons behind the discrepancy.
The committee’s engagement sought to establish why the number of sites had fallen short of the approved figure and whether the ministry had a clear explanation for the difference. The matter raises questions about project planning, implementation and accountability for resources allocated to public programmes.
Kimosho also questioned ministry officials about the Solar-Powered Water Supply Systems Project, particularly whether a feasibility study had been conducted before the project was undertaken.
He said the responses provided by the officials on the feasibility study were not clear, prompting the committee to ask the ministry to present the study at its next meeting for further scrutiny.
The committee’s demand for the feasibility study is expected to help members examine the project’s planning and technical justification, while the questions surrounding the irrigation sites highlight the need for clear explanations on whether approved projects are being implemented as intended. The ministry’s further response will be important in clarifying the outstanding concerns.
