Kole North MP Dr Samuel Opio Acuti questions Uganda’s record-high road construction costs in East Africa.
By Okidi Patrick
KAMPALA, UGANDA–Kole North MP Hon Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti has questioned why Uganda is paying the highest cost per kilometre for road construction in East Africa, warning that inflated unit costs are draining public resources and undermining value for money.
Dr. Opio Acuti raised the concern in Parliament as MPs scrutinized projects where the cost of tarmacking has reportedly hit UGX8.5 billion per kilometre on some joint Uganda-DRC roads.
“The Auditor General should carry out a forensic audit on the efficacy of the project, and the culpable paymasters should be brought to book,” Dr Acuti said, citing a Public Accounts Committee report.
The PAC report flagged the Uganda-DRC road project covering 222km at a total cost of US$509 million, about UGX1.7 trillion. At that rate, each kilometre costs US$2.29 million, about UGX8.5 billion.
MPs also questioned the UGX35 billion per kilometre cost of the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, and earlier cases where government paid about Shs6 billion per kilometre for the 111km Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko oil road.
Dr Acuti said such figures are far above regional benchmarks. Ministry of Works data shows the average cost of upgrading a paved road rose from Shs2.3 billion in 2017/2018 to Shs3.1 billion in 2018/2019. UNRA itself puts unit cost at about Shs3.1 billion per kilometre.
Allegations of wastage
The PAC noted that for just 17% of work done on the Uganda-DRC roads, government had overpaid contractor Dott Services by US$33.6 million, about UGX124.5 billion.
PAC Chairperson said: “At the current rate, this amounts to US$2.29 million per kilometer, which is far too expensive under any circumstances”.
Dr Acuti argued that without transparency, Uganda will continue to pay more for less, even as many domestic roads remain in poor state.
However, the Minister of Works and Transport Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala has defended some projects as “strategic investments” aimed at boosting trade. He said Uganda-DRC trade has risen from $578 million to $1.2 billion even before the roads are completed.
UNRA officials have previously explained that high costs are driven by bridges, flyovers, terrain, and pre-financing arrangements.
Dr Acuti however insisted Parliament must demand accountability. “We cannot justify to taxpayers why one kilometre in Uganda costs more than double what it costs in neighboring countries,” he said.
The MP is pushing for a regional comparison study and a forensic audit to establish why Uganda’s road unit costs remain the highest in East Africa.
About the Author
