Members of Parliament on Trade Committee have been shocked to learn that Uganda Development cooperation (UDC) constructed Soroti Fruit Factory perimeter wall at Shs2.5 Billion, raising suspicion of fraud and mismanagement of funds.
The revelation came out as Dr. Patrick Bitonder Birungi, the Executive Director of Uganda Development Corporation and the Douglas Kakyukyu Ndawula, the factory’s Executive Director appeared before the Parliaments’ committee on Trade, Industries and cooperatives chaired Mbarara South MP Mwine Mpaka Rwamirama to answer queries from a whistle-blower’s report.
The committee also discovered that UDC constructed a 1-Km road from the main Soroti-Moroto Road up-to the factory at Shs5bn.
Mpaka said during their fact-finding tour to Soroti fruit factory, they discovered that the construction of the perimeter wall and the Road cost exorbitant money.
Some of the MPs sitting on this committee especially from Teso Sub region have called for the forensic Audit on Soroti Fruit Factory and also summon the minister of Trade to explain why the factory has used huge amount of money to construct the Road and perimeter wall.
The Factory does not also have a substantive Board to oversee the top management of the factory.
Ochero County MP-(Kaberamaido District) said this is the most expensive construction in the region and world that Uganda Development Corporation has ever conducted.
The MPs have questioned the amount that was used to purchase 240 water Pumps, each costing Shs2.2 Million before being damaged in record time.
