Kampala road contractors and consultants have been urged to desist from corruption in the awarding and execution of road construction contracts. On Friday, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) invited all road construction contractors and consultants awarded contracts under various projects in Kampala, many of which are currently in a poor state.
The meeting was intended to introduce the contractors to the new political leadership from the office of the elected Lord Mayor, Ronald Balimwezo, to enhance inspection and monitoring of the ongoing road projects. Ronald Balimwezo, the Lord Mayor of Kampala, said the meeting was timely as it enabled the new leadership to understand the current status of projects awarded by KCCA’s engineering department.
He added that the engagement had helped the political leadership understand the progress, key milestones, completion timelines, and challenges faced by contractors and consultants. Balimwezo noted that corruption has negatively affected the progress of many government projects, citing the alleged embezzlement of funds for the Busega–Mpigi Expressway.
He said President Yoweri Museveni had directed the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to investigate claims that the project had been fully paid for, yet the contractor was demanding additional funds to continue the works. Balimwezo said he would not tolerate similar corruption scandals within Kampala.
He also accused some local and international contractors of colluding with government staff and middlemen to swindle public funds, leading to delays in road construction projects in the city.
Balimwezo further alleged that middlemen and some officials mishandled funds meant for works on Port Bell Road and Spring Road, which he said had affected project completion. “It is not going to be business as usual when we have an engineer supervising over these projects, alongside the Executive Director and the Minister of State for Kampala. This must stop,” Balimwezo stressed.
He emphasized that political leaders are mandated to conduct monitoring exercises at any time and warned contractors that their sites would be inspected regularly.
Balimwezo also revealed that many contractors suffer in silence due to middlemen who demand kickbacks before contracts are awarded or payment certificates approved. He encouraged contractors to speak out and report such acts without fear of intimidation.
The state minister for Kampala, Kabuye Kyofatogabye, expressed disappointment that top executives of some construction companies failed to attend the meeting in person and instead delegated supervisors.
Kyofatogabye urged contractors to take Kampala road construction works seriously. He also encouraged local contractors to deliver quality work so they can effectively compete with international firms. Several roads under different projects in Kampala are expected to be completed either by the end of this year or next year, although progress on some roads remains slow.
Kyofatogabye asked contractors to seek permission from KCCA to work at night to speed up construction and meet project deadlines. He also urged contractors to prioritize public safety and environmental protection during road construction works.
Zachy Mbeeraze Mawula, the Mayor of Lubaga Division, reported that Dot Services, the company mandated to construct Kabaka’s Lake Road, had diverted stormwater into Kabaka’s Lake, causing siltation that could eventually clog the lake. In response, Kenbert Kaganzi, the Project Manager of Dot Services, said that the area’s terrain limited the engineering options available to address the issue.
The minister also urged contractors working on roads leading to Mandela National Stadium and to the training facilities such as Lugogo and Kadiba in Mengo to expedite construction works ahead of the forthcoming AFCON, which will be hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania next year.
Some contractors cited shortages of construction materials due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. However, Kyofatogabye said he would hold meetings with affected contractors to find solutions and avoid further delays.
Hajat Sharifah Buzeki, the Executive Director of Kampala, said the awarded contracts include the construction of roadside drains, installation of service ducts, street lighting, walkways, cycling lanes, and roadside markets under some of the road projects. However, she noted that implementation challenges still require intervention from political leaders.
Buzeki said several contractors were behind schedule, while some claimed that working in Kampala posed operational difficulties, an explanation she described as invalid. She also highlighted the challenge of relocating utilities, noting that the responsibility lies with utility owners rather than KCCA or the contractors. This, she said, has contributed to delays in road works. Buzeki further cited poor maintenance and lack of cleanliness at several construction sites.
“Whenever we make visits to these roads, we always find something wrong, yet the funds for maintaining cleanliness and ensuring social safeguards are included in the contracts,” Buzeki said. Kampala currently has 2,104 kilometers of roads, and the government plans to add more roads, including the Kibuye–Nateete Road, which will increase the network to 2,112 kilometers.
KCCA service delivery standards require that 100 percent of city roads be paved.
However, by 2021, only 660 kilometers of roads had been paved. That figure has since increased to 779 kilometers in the financial year that has ended. Ongoing projects under KCCA include the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA) project, the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project (KCRRP), Government of Uganda projects under Dot Services, Government of Uganda mainstream, and the KORUS project.
Buzeki said that if all these projects are completed successfully, Kampala will have 1,052 kilometers of paved roads, representing 52 percent road coverage. She noted that all roads under the KCRRP project are expected to be handed over by 2027, while Lot One roads under the GKMA project are expected to be completed by October 2026.
Roads under Lot Two of the GKMA project are scheduled for completion by December 2027.
Under the Government of Uganda projects being implemented by Dot Services, Lot One roads are expected to be handed over by November 2026, while Lot Two roads are expected to be completed by September 2027-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
