The JLOS House Project is a three-in-one Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) infrastructure development project aimed at strengthening good governance principles by enhancing the ability of JLOS institutions to coordinate and offer better services. The project is expected to contribute to enhanced transparency, accountability and ethics in a purpose built office park and civic centre. 

The JLOS House complex is intended to improve the productivity of the public service; facilitate the growth of the private sector through the provision of timely public services; reduce the costs of public administration through integration of services and sharing of common services such as ICT conference facilities and asset/ facilities management. Further, the one-stop centre will introduce modern concepts of office management and incorporate environmental concepts of green and intelligent technology in the design and construction of public buildings. The one-stop centre will free resources in rent and efficiency savings to build a functional justice system in Uganda.

PROJECT SCOPE

The project involves the design, procurement, construction, commissioning and maintenance of 74,000 sq. metres of rentable office space comprising of:–

The JLOS Towers and High Court which shall be located on plot 98-102 Katalima Road in Naguru on 5 acres of land owned by the Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS) through the Uganda Land Commission. JLOS Towers and High Court will accommodate the headquarters of JLOS institutions including the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Uganda Human Rights Commission, Uganda Prison Services, URSB, TAT, ULRC, JSC, DPP, JLOS secretariat. The facility will also provide for the Criminal, Anti-Corruption, International Crimes, Civil, Family and Land Divisions of the High Court. The towers shall be green and intelligent buildings which shall serve as a one-stop service centre for JLOS Services.

The Police Headquarters to accommodate all the police directorates at plot 40-96 Katalima Road Naguru Kampala next to the JLOS house complex. The police headquarters shall be a green and intelligent building that will increase police productivity and improve quality of policing services. The Police Headquarters shall be constructed on 5.9 acres of land owned by Uganda Land Commission restricted to Uganda Police Force. The Project site is located in Kampala City 5.2 km East of the centre of Kampala City.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The JLOS House project was conceived out of the need to provide a one-stop centre for JLOs institutions in recognition of the fact that the different JLOS institutions are scattered over dispersed locations in Kampala. Several of these locations are in parts of the City that are inaccessible, yet the mandates of the institutions are complementary and require close proximity for communication, cooperation and coordination. The institutions are also located in rented premises that are not designed for the provision of JLOS services and are inaccessible to the public.

It is expected that the JLOS House Project will support the efforts to integrate the services provided by the different institutions to create a conducive working environment. The project will also enhance accessibility to JLOS services by the general public, especially the poor and marginalised and enhance the inter-linkages between the services.

The huge cost of renting various premises for JLOS institutions further compounds the challenges that the Sector faces. The annual rental expense for JLOS institutional headquarters stands at USD 8.5 million. Despite this huge cost, there is still inadequate space for staff requirements and limited space for storage. There is also virtually no space to adequately handle clients. It is in light of these challenges that the Sector conceived and approved the JLOs House project in 2005.    

The overall goal of the project is to promote the rule of law through enhanced independence and public trust in JLOS institutions in line with the national vision of transforming Uganda from a peasant to a middle income status by 2040.  

The objective of the project is to provide office accommodation for the JLOS institutions as a one-stop service Centre in order to facilitate and improve service delivery and increase access to JLOS services. Specifically:

a) To provide office accommodation (JLOS Towers) and a purpose built High Court through green and intelligent buildings as a one-stop service centre to facilitate and improve service delivery and increase access to JLOS services.

b) To provide a green and intelligent building that will increase police productivity and improve quality of policing services (Police Headquarters). 

c) To provide for a purpose-built Judiciary headquarters and Appellate Courts that will promote access to judicial services

The project is expected to enhance operational efficiency, promote coordination among JLOS agencies and reduce the high cost of rent and align JLOS infrastructure to business processes while deepening public access to JLOS services.

The Justice, Law and Order Sector through the Public Private Partnership modality has identified an investor to build and operate the JLOS House project structures. Currently negotiations are ongoing between JLOS and the preferred bidder over the project scope and financing aspects. It is expected that these negotiations will be concluded in 2016.

Overall, the JLOS House project has the potential to change the way Government conducts its business and relates with the public. The project stands out to introduce modern concepts of office management, open government, environmental conservation and rationalized use of time, space and other scarce resources, which if properly implemented shall reduce the cost of public administration in the Justice, Law and Order Sector. 

This special report was prepared by the JLOS House Project Coordination Office at the JLOS Secretariat. 

KAMPALA - The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has today signed a consultancy contract with M/S Symbion (U) Limited to provide consultancy services for the design, documentation review and supervision of the construction of the JLOS House project. The event held at the Ministry’s office at Baumann House on Parliament Avenue was presided over by the Solicitor General, Mr. Francis Atoke. 

Below are facts and figures from today’s contract signing ceremony:

1. Consultancy contract signed for the design, documentation review and supervision of the construction of the JLOS House office park (located on Plot 98-102, Katalima Road - Naguru) and Uganda Police headquarters (located on Plot 40-96, Katalima Road – Naguru).

2. Contractor: M/S Symbion (U) Limited

3. The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to take the lead in implementation of the JLOS House project on behalf of JLOS institutions.

4. Project Beneficiary institutions: Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Judiciary (High Court), Ministry of Internal Affairs, Uganda Registration Services Bureau, Uganda Prisons, Judicial Service Commission, Uganda Law Society, Uganda Human Rights Commission, Uganda Law Reform Commission, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Tax Appeals Tribunal, Centre for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution among others.

5. The project to provide a total of 60,040 square meters (sq.) of office space and parking for over 2,300 vehicles

6. Construction to cost approx. USD $60 million (about Shs. 213.3 billion)

7. JLOS House project to save Government of Uganda a substantial amount of operational funds in rent (currently estimated at USD $6,983,949 annually for about 20,000 square meters).

8. Over the next seven (7) years, the JLOS consumptive expenditure on office space at the current rate is projected at USD $66.5m (for 20,000 sq.) and USD $199.2m (for 60,040 sq.). This is more than the projected cost of construction of the JLOS House.

9. Tender for construction expected to be issued in the 1^st quarter of FY 2021/2022 (between July and September 2021).

Published: June 24 2021 / For more information, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.