The investigation into Uganda’s Busega-Mpigi Expressway project has taken a major turn after former Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) Executive Director Allen Kagina recorded a statement with investigators over the rising cost of the multibillion-shilling road project.
Kagina appeared before investigators from the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) after several engineers reportedly mentioned her name during ongoing inquiries into the project, whose cost has increased from the initial Shs547.5 billion to more than Shs2 trillion.
Investigators are looking into decisions made during Kagina’s time at UNRA and whether they contributed to the sharp increase in the project’s cost. However, no findings of wrongdoing have been made against her, and the investigation is still ongoing.
One of the key issues being examined is the management of compensation for Project Affected Persons (PAPs). Investigators are looking into claims that some compensation payments were reduced before changes were later made to the road alignment, including a shift into a wetland area. The changes are believed to have increased compensation costs and affected the overall scope of the project.
Also recording a statement is Mwenge South Member of Parliament Mary Kamuli Kuteesa, who previously served as UNRA Director of Legal Services for nearly ten years. During her time at the roads agency, she worked closely with Kagina after Kagina joined UNRA from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
Investigators are reviewing legal approvals, contract processes and decisions made during the period when UNRA was responsible for managing the expressway project.
The probe has also turned attention to some private companies linked to the project. Investigators are examining whether there were any conflicts of interest involving contractors and legal representatives connected to the project. No wrongdoing has been established against any company or individual involved.
Chinese contractors working on the expressway are also expected to answer questions from investigators regarding project costs, contract changes and implementation of works. Officials want to understand why the project budget continued increasing through several design adjustments.
The investigation has now expanded beyond UNRA and reached the Ministry of Works and Transport, which took over the project after government reforms led to the absorption of UNRA into the ministry.
UNRA was responsible for designing the expressway, handling procurement and supervising the consultant before the project was transferred. This has made decisions taken during UNRA’s management period a major focus of the investigation.
The Auditor General had earlier raised concerns about the project’s rising costs. In a 2024 audit report, the Auditor General revealed that the project cost had reached about Shs1.35 trillion by March 2023.
The report pointed to one major issue: the contract was signed before detailed engineering designs were completed. This decision reportedly led to several design reviews, route changes, additional compensation demands and delays in construction.
Construction of the expressway started in May 2020 and was initially expected to be completed in 2023. However, the completion date has since moved to December 2028.
Investigators are also reviewing a “No Objection” letter signed by Kagina during her time as UNRA Executive Director, which approved the consultant’s final design review after earlier concerns had been addressed.
The investigation began gaining attention after the Inspector General of Government ordered the suspension of several engineers linked to the project. Engineers Dickens Ahimbisibwe, Edwin Raymond Kiyaga and Patrick Muleme were named in connection with the inquiry.
The officials were instructed to hand over government property, stay away from their offices and cooperate with investigators. None of them has been charged with any offence, and they remain innocent until proven guilty.
The probe intensified after President Yoweri Museveni raised concerns about the project. In a June 26 letter, the President questioned why an already compensated road corridor was allegedly abandoned and replaced with another route that created new compensation demands.
Museveni said the changes resulted in additional costs despite government having already borrowed around Shs600 billion for the project. He called for those responsible to face consequences.
As investigations continue, several major questions remain unanswered. Authorities are seeking to establish who approved the project before completion of detailed designs, who authorised costly design changes, who benefited from route adjustments, and how a project that started at Shs547.5 billion grew into a road expected to cost more than Shs2 trillion.
With former UNRA leaders, government officials, engineers and contractors now under scrutiny, the Busega-Mpigi Expressway investigation is becoming one of Uganda’s biggest infrastructure accountability cases.
