Construction of the stalled multi-billion-shilling Mothers’ Union House is set to resume after the High Court successfully mediated a dispute between the Church of Uganda Mothers’ Union and Bucon Construction.
The disagreement stemmed from conflicting valuations of work completed on the project. While Bucon Construction sought more than Shs1 billion for the initial phase, the Mothers’ Union maintained that the work was worth approximately Shs400 million.
Following arbitration led by Justice Simon Peter Kinobe Mutegeki of the Civil Division of the High Court, the parties reached an out-of-court settlement. The Mothers’ Union agreed to pay Shs500 million, while the contractor agreed to vacate the site and allow construction works to continue.
The proposed eight-storey development has experienced years of delays due to funding and management challenges.
The project also came under scrutiny after the current Mothers’ Union leadership, headed by President Nalongo Roseline Biingi Kawiso, commissioned a forensic audit into the expenditure of Shs12 billion on the project.
Upon completion, the building is expected to host conference facilities, banking services, restaurants, health clubs and other commercial amenities aimed at generating sustainable income for the organization.
Speaking during a thanksgiving prayer at the construction site, Kawiso welcomed the settlement and expressed optimism about the future of the project.
“This project is an investment in the future of families and communities. Once completed, it will generate sustainable income, support our programmes and provide a platform for community empowerment,” she said.
She thanked all parties involved in resolving the dispute and reaffirmed the Mothers’ Union’s commitment to seeing the project completed.