By Vicent Emong
KUMI — Authorities in Kumi Municipality have rejected the commissioning of a five-stance girls’ pit latrine at Olungia Primary School valued at more than Shs31 million over concerns about incomplete works and substandard quality.
The development was revealed during the commissioning of education projects for the 2025/2026 financial year.
Speaking at the event, Stella Atai, the Principal Education Officer at Kumi Municipal Council, said the municipality had planned to commission five education projects, including classroom blocks, latrines, and school furniture.
“We had planned to commission five projects today, but only three were successfully commissioned because one project at Olungia Primary School had unresolved snags,” Atai explained.
According to Atai, the Olungia project involved the construction of a five-stance girls’ latrine with an incinerator valued at Shs31.8 million.
However, the municipality halted the commissioning after discovering that the contractor had failed to complete critical finishing works.
“We advised the contractor to first complete all pending works before the project can officially be commissioned,” she said.
Despite the setback, the municipality successfully commissioned several other projects, including a boys’ latrine at Amejei Primary School valued at Shs26.8 million and a modern two-classroom block complete with an office, store, terrazzo flooring, and a rainwater harvesting tank worth Shs92.4 million.
The classroom block was officially commissioned by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), who praised the quality of work delivered on the project.
Atai also called upon residents to embrace government projects and take ownership of public infrastructure.
“Whenever government projects are commissioned, communities should come in large numbers to appreciate and protect them. Unfortunately, today’s turnout was low,” she noted.
Meanwhile, outgoing Kumi Municipality Mayor Richard Ochom defended the council’s decision to reject the Olungia project, insisting that quality standards must never be compromised.
“At Olungia, the standards did not match our expectations. That is why the RDC rejected the commissioning because some aspects of the work were unsatisfactory,” Ochom stated.
He emphasized that Kumi Municipality’s growth depends heavily on strict quality assurance and accountability among contractors.
“Quality is my biggest concern. Contractors who fail to deliver quality work should not expect their projects to be commissioned,” he added.
Ochom commended contractors who completed quality work, as well as the municipal technical team and council leadership for overseeing successful implementation of education projects.
He also applauded the government under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for continued support toward improving education infrastructure.
The mayor further encouraged parents to prioritize education, warning that the municipality’s future would increasingly rely on urbanization, trade, and skills development rather than traditional agriculture.
“In the next 50 years, this municipality will be fully urbanized. Parents must educate their children if they want their families to prosper,” Ochom said.
He concluded by urging residents to protect public infrastructure and contribute toward maintenance whenever facilities are damaged.
