By our reporter
TORORO
The process of renovating Tororo district headquarters popularly known as White House will start soon as the district authorities today, 25th November, 2022 handed over a shillings 1.4 billion renovation contract to Whimsy Uganda limited, a construction company.
The contract for renovation works was signed on 20th October 2022 and is supposed to start immediately and be completed in March 2023 with major works like re-roofing, strengthening the column pillars and other major repairs to cost Shs492 out of 1.4 billion.
The building meant for renovation was constructed and commissioned on 24th of May 1969 and after seeing several life risk factors that the building bears, councilors recently passed resolution to see it rehabilitated
Earlier, tensions arose over the Shs492 million as a section of leaders thought it was swindled yet to avoid it going back to the national treasury at the close of the last financial year, the CAO’s office channeled the money to the accounts of Rubongi sub county.
The shilling 492 million is part of the DDEG funds sent to the district the previous year.
While handing over the site today at Tororo district headquarters, the Tororo district engineer, Andrew Asaya says the renovation is to support the district stay in the building for a few more years as a report by Tchno Design recently contracted by Tororo district local government to assess the capacity of the building indicated that the white house should not be used for more than seven years from now.
Asaya noted that the report further indicated that the columns of the building are currently getting weak to support the wall and in seven years’ time, the building will not be fit for development.
Meanwhile, a section of Tororo district councilors want the renovation of Tororo district administration block halted and project cash redirected towards the construction of a new administration block instead.
Francis Olweny the councilor representing Magodes town council said spending 1.4billion shillings on a structure that is to be demolished 7yrs from now is a waste of taxpayers’ money, advising that the money be instead redirected towards the construction of a new administration block.
Nicolas Ofwono, the councilor representing Kisoko sub county noted that putting 1.4 billion to renovate white house must be investigated by different financial institutions and warned that if the current trend of management is continuously accepted by Tororo people, the district is heading towards disaster.
Meanwhile Noah Okumu a member of the district executive welcomed the renovation saying that it is preparing Tororo municipality for the coming city.
Tororo District Deputy Resident Commissioner, Albert Amula pleaded with the councilors to allow the construction proceed as they look for money to construct a new administrative block.
