In a statement to Parliament, Mr Odongo urged the committee to approve an additional budget of Shs6 billion for the restoration of Uganda House in Nairobi, Kenya.
“This will ensure adequate office space for our mission staff and help generate the projected Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) for the country,” he stated.
Projected Revenue from Renovation
Mr Odongo emphasized the financial benefits of the renovation, explaining, “Upon completion, we expect the renovated building to generate Shs4 billion in NTR at full occupancy. The impact of restoring this building on our nation’s revenue is significant.”
Background on the Uganda House Incident
Gen. Odongo appeared before the committee to provide an update on the six-story Uganda House on Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi’s central business district, partially damaged by a fire on June 25.
Renovation work was already underway, with the project expected to be completed by the end of June and the building handed over to the Ugandan government on June 28.
Insurance and Renovation Details
During the session, Gen. Odongo and the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Vincent Bagiire, disclosed that the building had been under renovation by Ambitious Construction Company before the fire.
Mr Bagiire mentioned that the construction company had insured Uganda House at the start of the renovation. However, MPs noted that no insurance report had been provided to them.
Legislative Demands for Further Information
Legislators requested an assessment report from the insurer to inform the committee’s decision, but the government expressed concerns that a comprehensive report might take up to two years to complete.
“There are two key issues here,” Mr. Bagiire explained.
“First, we needed to assess the extent of the damage, and according to the consultant’s report, the damage is estimated at around Shs6 billion. We now have that information. Second, the contractor, Ambitious Construction, had previously insured the Uganda House project.
The insurance company has already visited the site as part of their investigation. We request some time to complete this process and determine if the insurance taken by the contractor covers the June 25 fire.”
Calls for Transparency and Due Process
Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Muwada Nkunyingi insisted that detailed reports on the fire incident be presented to the committee before any final decisions are made.
“This statement could present challenges when the official fire report is released. It may serve as the basis for compensation. As a Parliamentary committee, we don’t want to rely on informal discussions between the ministry and Kenyan officials, especially since investigations are still ongoing,” Mr Muwada cautioned.
Committee’s Decision and Next Steps
The chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Catherine Lamwaka, decided that no immediate action would be taken on the Shs6 billion request.
The committee resolved to conduct an on-site inspection of the Nairobi facility and review all relevant documents.
The committee instructed ministry officials to submit all related documents, including insurance coverage details and contract agreements with Ambitious Construction Company, to Parliament by the end of the day on Thursday.
