Uganda Pressures New Chinese Envoy Over Stalled Road Projects

The Ugandan government has raised serious concerns regarding delayed infrastructure projects being handled by foreign contractors. State Minister for Works, Mr Fred Byamukama, recently met with the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Wu Guangrong, at the ministry headquarters in Kampala to address the slow pace of critical road developments.

During the meeting, Mr Byamukama questioned why several Chinese construction firms fail to deliver on schedule despite government efforts to meet all contractual obligations and financial commitments. He specifically pointed out the state-owned Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO), which is contracted to construct the Kira-Kasangati-Matugga road.

According to the minister, the government has already paid up to 50 percent for the project, yet physical progress remains significantly low. The 23-kilometer road project, which commenced following a presidential launch in December 2020, has faced persistent delays well past its initial early 2024 completion target. Minister Byamukama emphasized that while he values the long-standing bilateral relations and wishes to avoid terminating Chinese contracts, urgent interventions are necessary to resolve financial flow and underperformance issues.

In response, Ambassador Guangrong assured the ministry that the embassy is already in touch with CICO management. He appealed to the government to pardon struggling firms and allow diplomatic intervention to rectify performance bottlenecks. Furthermore, the ambassador reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening cooperation in Uganda’s transport sector, highlighting future ambitions to upgrade collaboration models into integrated development spanning infrastructure, industry, and regional logistics.

Read more details in the Daily Monitor.