Opposition MPs chased from Roko company where they went to understand the utilization of shs.263 Bn bailout.

Joel Ssenyonyi stranded at Roko gate

The leader of the opposition Joel ssenyonyi and other opposition MPs were blocked from accessing the premises of Roko Construction Company after he sought a meeting to understand how the Shs263Bn bailout, the Company received from Ugandan taxpayers was utilized, yet staff have complained of working for 4months without a pay.

While speaking to Parliamentary journalists in Kawempe, Ssenyonyi also stated that there are plans by the Government to table a Supplementary Budget very soon, in which Roko is set to benefit from another bailout, despite there not being any accountability on how the previous bailout funds have been spent.

The Leader of Opposition questioned the fate of the multi-trillion projects Roko Construction Company has been entrusted with like Lubowa Hospital and Parliament's new chambers, if the company is still exhibiting signs of financial.

“He narrated that he wrote a letter on the 8th of October 2024, informing the Management of Roko Construction Company of his plan to visit, but upon arrival, his team was denied access, but instead, he was presented with a letter from Mark Koehler, the Managing Director of Roko Construction Company, informing him of the decision by the Board of Directors not to allow the team into the Company premises,”Ssenyonyi,”noted.

Ssenyonyi defended the impromptu visit to Roko saying it was a culmination of the distress calls he received from Staff who reported that he hadn’t been paid 3-4 months, which he said was a serious indication that there is a problem with this Company.

“We hear they want to come to Parliament again for a supplementary, for more money. What is that money doing if staff are not being paid, if the projects meant to be done aren’t being run? Our hope is that the Minister of Finance has got to account for the Shs263Bn injected in this company. We are hoping there won’t be another request to give money to this company because we don’t know what that money is doing and as we are trying to follow up, they aren’t being open,” said Ssenyonyi .

“The Parliamentary chambers building was meant to be completed in the 10th Parliament, we are in the 11thParliament, it is going to end and there is nothing much happening there.

Every two years, they keep pushing the date and yet, Parliament, said, for us, we are establishing our bills for them to construct, but not much is happening.

Meanwhile, Parliament spends billions of shillings to rent offices for MPs and staff at Kingdom Kampala, Queen’s Chambers and yet you are injecting money elsewhere to construct your premises.

That is what I call a nugatory expenditure, it is a financial loss to the taxpayer,” Ssenyonyi added.

“The Managing Director says that they consulted the Board of Directors and the Board has politely declined to admit you and members of the Shadow Cabinet to the premises of the company.

“The way the Government keeps dishing out money to private companies is very problematic. When the first time Roko was being given money, the Government put in a request of Shs207Bn and we said for starters, can we first do due diligence on this company to establish, what is its financial standing. Because at that time, the Speaker in chair told us that if Parliament doesn’t approve the money, the company is going to close down because it was heavily indebted,” he said