MPs again denied access to Lubowa hospital site

What the report says

The Observer reports that on Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi and several shadow cabinet members were again stopped from entering the International Specialised Hospital of Uganda (ISHU) construction site in Lubowa, despite a written instruction from Health minister Chris Baryomunsi allowing the visit. The MPs had planned an oversight tour after notifying the contractor, Finasi-ISHU Construction SPV Limited, on September 9.

According to the report, the contractor first sought guidance from the Health ministry, and Baryomunsi later directed that the MPs be allowed in, provided they followed safety rules. But when the delegation arrived, the gate was locked and security personnel inside did not clear them to enter, even after calls to the ministers. Ssenyonyi said the incident showed the difficulty Parliament faces in scrutinising a project funded with public money.

The blocked visit adds to a history of access disputes at the Lubowa project. The Observer says similar problems occurred in February 2024, when MPs were also denied entry despite ministerial approval, and other parliamentary visits have faced delays or safety-related objections. The hospital is being developed as a 264-bed public-private partnership involving Finasi and ROKO Construction, with Parliament having approved financing of about $379.7 million. The project has drawn repeated questions over delays, shifting completion dates and oversight concerns.

The report also notes that the Auditor General has raised issues over limited progress and payment certifications, while parliamentary committees have called for tighter scrutiny and, in some cases, a pause in further funding.