transport 9 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Delayed Land Acquisition Hampers Uganda's Road Construction, Minister States
The Minister of Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, has identified delayed land acquisition as a major impediment to the timely completion of various road and bridge projects across Uganda. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/delayed-land-acquisition-stalling-roadworks-says-byamukama-5552612
Minister of Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, has highlighted that the slow process of acquiring land is a significant obstacle to the swift construction, upgrading, and rehabilitation of numerous roads and bridges nationwide.
Byamukama stated that many projects would have already been finished if the necessary land had been secured promptly. He noted that out of Uganda’s extensive road network of 159,561 km, a vast majority (94.43%) remains unpaved, with only 5.57% being paved. The high cost of securing the Right of Way (RoW) and the impacts of climate change, which contribute to asset deterioration, are also significant challenges.
Currently, 27 national roads, totaling 912.9 km, are undergoing upgrades. However, 81% of this length (739.3 km) is experiencing delays due to land acquisition issues. Examples include the government-funded Kira Road, where construction has been ongoing since January 2021 with an expected completion in 2027, but only 40.1% is complete. Similarly, the access road to Kabaale International Airport, slated for reopening soon, is only at 60% completion.
Several other key road projects, including Kabwoya-Buhuka, Kyenjojo-Bwizi-Rwamwanja-Kahunje, Mpara-Bwizi, Iganga-Bulopa-Kamuli, and Namagumba-Budadiri-Nalugugu, are also stalled by these land acquisition delays.
Despite these challenges, the government has allocated Shs8.79 trillion for infrastructure in the 2026/2027 budget. The Ministry of Works and Transport is currently overseeing five major road initiatives, encompassing the upgrading of 23 road projects (274.8 km), rehabilitation of 11 projects (854.6 km), development of 11 bridge projects (30 bridges), and 16 projects under in-house supervision (1,041.9 km).
The minister also reported that routine and periodic maintenance is ongoing, with 92% of paved national roads in fair to good condition against a target of 90%, and 77% of unpaved roads meeting their 75% target. Four national roads have recently been completed, and plans are underway for an additional 697.6 km of road projects under the National Development Plan IV.
To preserve existing road assets, Shs326 billion has been allocated for maintenance, which will cover routine and periodic upkeep, bridge maintenance, emergency interventions, and drainage improvements. Byamukama emphasized the government’s commitment to increasing investment in road maintenance to prevent costly deterioration and highlighted that developing road infrastructure remains crucial for connectivity, trade, regional integration, and socio-economic progress.