The Parliamentary flush toilets which were recently renovated have broken down angering MPs. The five toilets are located on the southern wing of the parliamentary building from ground to fourth floor.
Manjinya MP Jack Wamai Wamanga
Parliament awarded the contract for plumbing and renovation of the toilets to Eastern Builders and Engineers Ltd at a cost of sh3.3 billion
The matter was yesterday raised in the legal and parliamentary affairs committee by Jack Wamanga Wamai (Manjinya) who stated, “I am embarrassed. Water is not flushing in the recently renovated toilets on first and second floors.”
The committee was meeting the Parliamentary Commission led by Clerk to Parliament Jane Kibirige.
Florence Namayanja (Bukoto East) said some door locks and sinks were not working.
As a result, MPs have resorted to using toilets on the eastern wing of parliament. “We demand value for money if not the contractors should vomit the money,” Wamanga told the parliament commissioners.
Wamanga took the Parliament Clerk to inspect the toilets on second floor. Kibirige appealed to MPs to bear with the situation until renovation works are complete.
“Some sections of the main sewerage pipeline have been blocked to pave way for the renovation. The pipes are interconnected in the building that the water flow cannot move smoothly” Kibirige explained.
The facilities in Parliament were meant for less than 100MPs but the number has risen to 386
Yona Musinguzi (Ntungamo municipality) demanded an explanation on how the contractors won the contract. “Sh3.2bn is a lot of money just to renovate flush toilets. It can be used to construct another building.Why did you waste money on renovation? Musinguzi asked.
Youths MP national Monica Amoding stated, “I have been using the male toilet on first floor because I cannot commute to the third floor, to use the female toilets.”
She requested that both female and male toilets be located on the same floors. Currently female toilets are on the ground and second floors while male toilets are on first and third floors.
The MPs say this arrangement inconveniences them a great deal.
By Paul Kiwuuwa, The New Vision
