Uganda’s road network is in trouble — and it’s not just about potholes anymore. Across the country, road construction projects have ground to a halt, as contractors pack up their tools and walk away. The reason? They haven’t been paid.
On Wednesday, Minister for Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, addressed Parliament with a grim update. He revealed that many of Uganda’s key roads are either abandoned or severely delayed due to a massive shortfall in government funding.
“We need Shs3.153 trillion to keep our national road programme running,” the Minister explained. “But we’ve only received Shs682 billion.” That leaves a staggering deficit of Shs2.472 trillion — money that simply isn’t there. The result? Debt, stalled projects, and deteriorating roads across the country.
Among the hardest hit are major projects that have been fully suspended — some of them critical to Uganda’s economic future.
Masindi-Biiso and Kabale-Kiziranfumbi Roads — vital oil roads — have been abandoned. Contractors are owed UGX 111 billion.
The Najjankumbi-Busabala Road is also on pause, with contractors waiting on UGX 44 billion in payments.
The Moroto-Lokitanyala Road has come to a complete stop.
On the Mityana-Mubende Road, only UGX 39 billion of the UGX 462 billion budget was released. That amount barely covered outstanding debts and payments to suppliers. The additional UGX 39 billion needed isn’t even in the budget.
Even the vital Kampala-Jinja Highway — a 72-kilometre lifeline — has been shut down.
“These aren’t just roads — they’re lifelines for communities, for trade, and for economic development,” Gen. Katumba emphasized.
Some projects haven’t been fully abandoned, but progress is painfully slow. With funds trickling in late — or not at all — and land acquisition delays piling up, construction teams are left idle or working at minimal capacity. Affected routes include:
Kira–Kasangati–Matugga
Kisubi–Nakawuka–Nateete and surrounding routes
Alwii–Nebbi
Matugga–Semuto–Kapeeka
Karuma–Pakwach and its connecting sections
Busunju–Kiboga–Hoima
And it’s not just roads. Bridges are suffering too.
Several bridge projects are either behind schedule or under threat. These include:
Katonga Bridge, along with the Lwera and Kalandazi swamp crossings
Upper Katonga Bridge, on the Kabulgasoke–Villa Maria route
Ssezibwa Bridge
Each of these structures is crucial for transport and safety, especially during rainy seasons — which, as Ugandans know too well, can quickly turn a bad road into a disaster.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among didn’t hold back her frustration earlier this week. After recent rains exposed the dire state of Uganda’s roads, she demanded answers.
“How are we allocating funds for roads if contractors are leaving worksites?” she asked, naming roads like Kampala–Hoima, Kampala–Jinja, Mityana, and Mubende as examples of ongoing neglect.
This isn’t just a story about budgets and unpaid bills. It’s about the people who use these roads every day — farmers trying to get produce to markets, children walking to school, patients rushing to hospitals, and transporters navigating treacherous highways.
Until funding matches Uganda’s infrastructure needs, more roads may turn into dead ends.
