ARUA CITY COUNCIL PARTNERSHIP WITH MTN UGANDA LIMITED DELAYED OVER UNCLEAR DOCUMENTATION

By Hellen Agondua

Arua City

Arua City Council deferred the approval of a partnership between the council and MTN Uganda Limited over completion of the construction of
the clock tower at Arua Hill roundabout. This followed concerns raised by councilors over lack of partnership documents between MTN Uganda
and Development Infrastructure, the preliminary contractor.

While moving the motion, Leader of Government Business in the council, Millicent Inzikuru, affirmed that MTN Uganda committed to completing
the construction of the clock tower. “Arua city council shall enter into partnership with MTN Uganda for a period of 10 years and a review of performance will be conducted after the first 5 years. Upon satisfactory performance, the partnership shall then continue,” she said.

But this generated reactions from councilors, who demanded for Memorandum of Understanding from MTN Uganda, Development Infrastructure andthe Uganda National Roads Authority.

According to the City Councilor representing Ayivu Division North, Godfrey Anguyo, provision of the documents will enable the council have a better debate.
“We clearly said before the matter comes to council, the executives should request for all relevant documents from MTN. If the executives did their due diligence on their work, this matter wouldn’t have come to council. They would have stopped the matter and would not have come to waste our time,” he said.

However, Arua City Clerk, David Kyansanku, noted that the documents would be traced and given to the council since the first partnership was between the then Arua Municipality and Development Infrastructure. “The genesis of all this was in the former council 2018/2019. We have looked at quite a number of documents because council can only implement lawful decisions or resolutions of council. We have looked at minutes, agreements and resolutions that were reached.” Said, the
City Clerk.

The Council speaker, Yako Teddy, deferred the motion for a date yet to be communicated, pending a meeting with key partners.

The partnership was planned to last for 10-years as MTN Uganda pays 10-million shillings annuall to the council, including 18% Value Added and an annual increment of 5% on the principal.

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