In a letter to the CCCC Authorized Representative, Xiong Pailiang. on 7 March 2025, Mukono Town Clerk, Mr. Francis Byabagambi, said the decision follows a review of the contractor’s performance and repeated failure to adhere to agreed contractual obligations, including critical environmental and social safeguard measures.
Mukono Municipal Council has officially suspended the civil works undertaken by the China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC).
According to the suspension statement undersigned by Bernadette Ndema, the communication specialist, Office of the President, Ministry of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area- Urban Development Program, the suspension comes as a result of the systemic non-compliance with the contract conditions, technical guidelines, and environmental and social safeguards.
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The press release in details;
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
MINISTRY OF KAMPALA CAPITAL CITY AND METROPOLITAN AFFAIRS
PARLIAMENT BUILDING PO. BOX 7168 KAMPALA, TELEPHONE: 0414-344968, 0414-343913, 0414-230455, 0414-254881/6. Website: www.officeofthepresident.go.ug, www.kcca.go.ug
Uganda Vision 2040
PRESS RELEASE
Mukono Municipal Council Suspends Civil Works by China Communications Construction Company Limited
11th March 2025-Mukono Municipal Council has officially suspended civil works undertaken by China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) due to systemic non-compliance with contract conditions, technical guidelines, and environmental and social safeguards.
In a letter to the CCCC Authorized Representative, Xiong Pailiang. on 7 March 2025, Mukono Town Clerk, Mr. Francis Byabagambi, said the decision follows a review of the contractor’s performance and repeated failure to adhere to agreed contractual obligations, including critical environmental and social safeguard measures. The council previously issued warnings regarding non-compliance on 10 October 2024 and 10 January 2025.
The suspension affects multiple road construction projects under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP), coordinated by the Ministry of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs (MoKCC&MA). The affected projects include Anthony-Kame, Kame Annex, Albert Cook Cathedral Rise, Kame-Nabuti-Katosi Road, Admin Link, Access Road, and Link Road.
“The extent of persistent failure to comply with safeguards requirements, coupled with non-responsiveness of your team on-site has caused growing concern,” said Mr. Byabagambi in the letter. “It has been observed that there is total disregard of your contractual obligations to safeguard your workers and the public.”
Other issues include poor incident reporting and management, concealment of critical project-related information, lack of adequate health and safety structures, including not having safeguards personnel, failure to ensure proper welfare for workers, including access to medical care and non-compliance with grievance redress mechanisms.
Mukono Municipal Council has tasked CCCC to address these critical issues at their own cost. The contractor is required to conduct a full inspection of project vehicles and equipment, and to establish a dedicated environmental and social safeguards team. The agreed actions also provide detailed steps for CCCC to improve health and safety measures, including appointment of a safety team. The company must also provide proper grievance mechanisms for affected workers, and implement adequate emergency response protocols.
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Mr. Byabagambi said the suspension would only be lifted when CCCC provides a satisfactory response on agreed actions to the joint team comprising the Municipal Council, supervising consultants, and the MoKCC&MA.
“Failure to demonstrate commitment to address the agreed actions within two weeks, the Employer may invoke Clause 39, 68.2, and/or GCC 29 of the contractual provisions,” he wrote.
Clause 39 states that the Project Manager may instruct the contractor to delay the start or progress of any activity within the works.
GCC provides for Environmental, Social, Health and Safety (ESHS) safeguards management strategies and plans.
About the GKMA-UDP Procurement Processes
The Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Program (GKMA-UDP) is a Government of Uganda (GoU) program aimed at improving urban mobility, environmental conditions, local economic development and coordination in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA). The Program is supported by the World Bank and Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
The GKMA-UDP is implemented by nine entities, namely, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Wakiso, Mukono and Mpigi district local governments and the respective municipal local governments of Kira, Nansana, Makindye-Ssabagabo, Mukono, and Entebbe. The GKMA entities are responsible for planning, budgeting, implementing, and reporting on the program, which pursues the principles of sustainable public procurement to ensure environmental and social safeguards.
The GKMA-UDP under the MoKCC&MA reiterates that the Government of Uganda takes these matters seriously and remains committed to ensuring that all infrastructure projects meet the highest standards of safety, compliance, and sustainability.
For further inquiries, please contact:
Office of the Town Clerk,
Mukono Municipal Council,
Email: info@mukonomunicipalcouncil.go.ug